E.T.  TOMLINSON 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINA 
LIBRARY 


THE  WILMER  COLLECTION 
OF  CIVIL  WAR  NOVELS 
PRESENTED  BY 

RICHARD  H.  WILMER,  JR. 


s 


WlLMHBCOOECTl0t* 


FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


BOOKS  BY  EVERETT  T.  TOMLINSON. 

St.  Lawrence  Series. 

Three  Volumes.  Cloth.  Illustrated.  Price  $1.50  each. 
CAMPING  ON  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE. 

THE  HOUSE-BOAT  ON  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE. 
CRUISING  ON  THE  ST.  LAWRENCE. 

The  War  of  1812  Series. 

Six  Volumes.  Cloth.  Illustrated.  Price  per  volume,  $1.25. 

THE  SEARCH  FOR  ANDREW  FIELD. 

THE  BOY  SOLDIERS  OF  1812. 

THE  BOY  OFFICERS  OF  1812. 

TECUMSEH’S  YOUNG  BRAVES. 

GUARDING  THE  BORDER. 

THE  BOYS  WITH  OLD  HICKORY. 

Our  Own  Land  Series. 

Cloth.  Illustrated.  Price  per  volume,  $1.50. 

FOUR  BOYS  IN  THE  YELLOWSTONE. 

FOUR  BOYS  IN  THE  LAND  OF  COTTON. 

FOUR  BOYS  ON  THE  MISSISSIPPI. 

Stories  of  the  American  Revolution. 

First  and  Second  Series.  Cloth.  Illustrated.  $x. 00  each. 

***  For  sale  by  all  booksellers ,  or  sent  postpaid  on  receipt  of  price 

by  the  Publishers , 

Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co.,  Boston. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2019  with  funding  from 
University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


https://archive.org/details/forstarsstripes00toml_0 


“  Yo’-all  wilt,  have  to  stop  and  explain.”  —  Page  302 


WAR  FOR  THE  UNION  SERIES 


For  the  Stars  and  Stripes 


BY 

EVERETT  T.  TOMLINSON 

Author  of  “The  Boy  Soldiers  of  1812,”  “Camping  on  the  St.  Lawrence,” 
“Four  Boys  in  the  Yellowstone,”  “The  Campfire  of  Mad 
Anthony,”  “Ward  Hill  at  Weston,”  etc.,  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  FRANK  VINING  SMITH 


itteo  1904  i*6i 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP,  LEE  &  SHEPARD  CO. 


Published,  August,  1909 


Copyright,  1909, 

By  Lothrop,  Lee  &  Shepard  Co. 


All  rights  reserved 


For  the  Stars  and  Stripes 


NORWOOD  PRESS 
BERWICK  &  SMITH  CO. 
NORWOOD,  MASS. 

U.  S.  A. 


PREFACE 


Many  excellent  stories  and  histories  of  the 
great  Civil  War  in  the  United  States  have 
been  written.  To  attempt  to  improve  their 
plan  or  scope  would  be  as  pretentious  as  it 
would  be  well-nigh  impossible.  Merely  to  in¬ 
crease  the  number  of  such  books  is  certainly 
undesirable. 

In  this  little  story  a  word  of  explanation  is 
therefore  in  order  from  the  writer.  Not  the 
study  of  the  causes  of  the  struggle,  nor  a 
chronological  record  of  its  great  events  has 
been  his  purpose,  but  rather  to  present  one  of 
the  many  phases  of  the  long  conflict.  The 
life  of  the  soldiers  in  camp,  the  deeds  on  the 
battlefield  or  on  the  sea,  each  has  its  own 
distinctive  place.  ^  In  this  story  the  experi¬ 
ences  of  the  prisoners  in  the  “pens,”  or  in 
their  attempts  to  escape,  have  provided  the 
theme.  Every  event  or  adventure  incorpo¬ 
rated  in  the  tale  is  founded  upon  fact. 

To  glorify  war  or  to  revive  the  bitterness 

5 

603270 


6 


PREFACE 


of  the  struggle  is  not  desired.  The  Civil 
War,  however,  is  a  matter  of  history,  and  as 
such  cannot  be  ignored.  To-day  it  is  possi¬ 
ble  for  each  side  to  honor  the  bravery,  patri¬ 
otism,  and  devotion  of  the  other.  Out  of  such 
elements  only  can  a  united  or  reunited  na¬ 
tion  be  permanently  formed. 

The  writer  expresses  the  hope  that  his  boy 
readers  may  be  led  by  their  interest  in  the 
story  to  read  the  histories  of  the  struggle 
itself.  Then  with  all  bitterness  forgotten, 
with  malice  toward  none  and  charity  for  all 
to  realize  the  fundamental  elements  of  char¬ 
acter  which  alone  can  make  any  nation  great 
— even  that  over  which  to-day  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  float.  It  is  only  the  land  of  the  brave 
which  can  be  made  the  home  of  the  free. 

Everett  T.  Tomlinson. 


Elizabeth,  New  Jersey. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  Excitement  in  Camp  .  .  .  .  .  n 

II.  Tunnels . 24 

III.  The  Needle . 36 

IV.  Uncle  Sam  .,  .  .  ..  ...  .  49 

V.  A  Scheme  62 

VI.  Near  the  Fires  .  .  .  .  74 

VII.  Failure  .  .,  .  „  M  .  .  .  87 

VIII.  Outside . .  .,  >,  .  .  100 

IX.  In  the  Swamp . .  .  .  .112 

X.  The  Master  of  the  Hounds . 125 

XI.  A  Halt . 137 

XII.  The  Cabin . 150 

XIII.  Nebo’s  Cunning . 163 

XIV.  An  Improvised  Pest-House . 176 

XV.  The  Word  on  the  Bank . 188 

XVI.  A  Search . 201 

XVII.  A  Black  Leader . .  .  .213 

XVIII.  The  Blind  Boad . 225 

XIX.  A  Warm  Defender  .......  237 

XX.  A  Piece  of  Paper  .  .  .,  .,  .,  .  .  250 

XXI.  In  the  Mansion  ........  262 

XXII.  Intercepted  Flight . 274 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

XXIII.  A  Borrowed  Horse  .......  286 

XXIV.  Captain  Hitt’s  Band  .......  298 

XXV.  Under  Guard . 311 

XXVI.  Carrying  a  Load . 324 

XXVII.  The  Jail . 337 

XXVIII.  An  Enlarged  Force . 349 

XXIX.  A  Friend  in  Need  .......  361 

XXX.  A  Strange  Refuge . 374 

XXXI.  From  Night  to  Night  .  387 

XXXII.  Conclusion  .  ...  .<  .  .,  .,  .  >  400 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


“  Yo’-all  will  have  to  stop  and  explain  ”  ( Page 

302) . . Frontispiece 

FACING  page 

The  unexpected  hail  plainly  startled  the  man  .  86 

The  heavy  dog  was  scrambling  desperately  .  .134 

In  a  brief  time  the  young  soldier  crowded  himself 


into  the  narrow  space . 164 

Up  the  broad  stairway  she  quietly  conducted  Tay¬ 
lor  .  . . 270 


Quickly  the  trio  departed  from  the  strange  hut  .  396 


s. 


FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


CHAPTER  I 

EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP 

“Look!  What’s  the  excitement?  Come 
on!  We  must  join  the  crowd!” 

Erwin  Smith  quickly  sat  erect  at  the  sharp 
call  of  his  friend,  Taylor  Cooper,  and  gazed 
at  a  dozen  or  more  men  who,  shouting  and 
calling,  were  running  across  the  field  of  the 
prison  pen.  The  sun  had  risen  only  an  hour 
before  and  the  camp  was  covered  with  its 
glow.  The  warmth  of  its  beams  had  been  so 
tempting  that  the  two  young  prisoners, 
neither  of  whom  was  twenty  years  of  age, 
had  stretched  themselves  upon  the  ground  to 
obtain  a  little  sleep.  The  night  air  had  been 
so  chilly  that  both  boys  had  not  attempted  to 
obtain  any  rest  and  through  the  hours  of 
the  dreary  night  they  had  been  pacing  back 
and  forth,  keeping  well  within  the  dead  line, 

11 


12  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


striving  in  this  manner  to  keep  themselves 
warm.  Even  in  South  Carolina  the  Novem¬ 
ber  nights  were  cold,  at  least  for  those  whose 
clothing  was  worn  and  scant,  and  for  whom 
there  was  no  shelter  from  the  biting  winds. 

Not  many  weeks  before  the  time  when  our 
story  opens,  the  two  young  soldiers  had  been 
brought  to  Camp  Sorghum  to  share  the  ex¬ 
periences  of  hundreds  of  their  unfortunate 
comrades  who  had  been  captured  by  the  Con¬ 
federate  army.  Taylor  for  many  weeks  had 
been  a  prisoner  in  Richmond  in  Libby  Prison, 
as  the  dilapidated  old  building  which  before 
the  war  was  known  as  a  storehouse  of  Libby 
&  Son,  was  termed.  Of  his  sufferings  there 
he  had  told  Erwin  so  many  tales  that  they 
seemed  almost  to  be  a  part  of  the  latter’s  own 
experiences.  From  Libby,  Taylor  had  been 
taken  by  train  with  many  of  his  fellow  pris¬ 
oners  to  Danville,  which  also  is  in  Vir¬ 
ginia,  and  then  from  that  place  had  been  sent 
on  to  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  where  in 
the  prison  pen  he  had  met  his  friend  and 
schoolmate,  Erwin  Smith,  who  already  had 
been  confined  in  Camp  Sorghum  for  several 
weeks. 


EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP 


13 


The  meeting  of  the  boys  under  such  cir¬ 
cumstances  had  at  once  revived  the  friend¬ 
ship  of  their  school  days,  and  day  and  night 
had  found  them  drawn  more  closely  together. 
Indeed,  among  their  friends  they  were  com¬ 
monly  referred  to  as  the  twins — so  insep- 
erable  had  they  become. 

Eoused  by  the  sharp  call  of  Taylor,  Erwin 
stood  for  a  moment  watching  the  band  that 
was  speeding  across  the  field  on  which  the 
camp  was  located.  A  moment  only  he  de¬ 
layed  and  then  he  hastily  followed  his  friend, 
who  now  was  running  swiftly  in  the  direction 
of  the  noisy  group  that  had  halted  for  a  brief 
time  not  far  away. 

Before  Erwin  could  join  the  assembly  it 
had  started  on  once  more  and  the  noisy 
shouts  were  redoubled.  The  guard  by  this 
time  had  been  aroused.  Men  in  uniforms 
of  gray,  holding  in  their  hands  rifles  which 
were  ready  for  use,  were  also  speeding  in 
the  direction  of  the  shouting  band  of  prison¬ 
ers,  although  as  yet  the  cause  of  the  excite¬ 
ment  could  not  be  seen. 

When  Erwin  at  last  forced  his  way  into 
the  midst  of  the  men  he  saw  there  a  terrified 


14  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


little  brown  pig.  The  little  animal  was 
squealing  loudly  and  darting  here  and  there 
in  its  frantic  efforts  to  escape  through  the 
lines  of  its  pursuers. 

‘ 4  Every  man  will  have  the  part  of  the  pig 
he  can  grab!”  shouted  one  of  the  prisoners. 

“I’ve  got  a  ham!”  loudly  cried  one,  as  his 
hand  was  placed  on  a  leg  of  the  frightened 
little  animal.  The  pig,  emitting  another 
squeal  of  terror,  eluded  his  captor  and  then 
redoubled  its  efforts  to  escape. 

“You’ll  have  to  be  satisfied  with  the  squeal, 
Tom,  ’  ’  laughed  one  of  the  band  as  he  noticed 
the  expression  of  dismay  on  his  friend’s  face 
at  the  loss  of  the  prize. 

Most  of  the  men,  however,  were  terribly  in 
earnest  and  in  no  mood  for  light  retorts. 
Hunger,  weakness,  homesickness,  hope  de¬ 
ferred — all  the  awful  elements  of  the  life  of 
a  prisoner  in  war  time  were  to  be  seen  in 
the  faces  of  the  struggling  men.  They  were 
in  deadly  earnest  now  and  the  prospect  of 
such  food  as  the  pig  could  provide  had 
brought  out  all  the  selfish  traits  of  human 
nature.  The  chase  had  become  no  laughing 
matter  on  their  part,  although  the  guard, 


EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP 


15 


now  aware  of  the  cause  of  the  commotion, 
were  shouting  their  bantering  words  of  ap¬ 
proval,  “Go  it,  Yank!  Catch  him,  Blue 
Belly !  Fresh  pork !  ’  ’  and  other  similar  cries 
greeted  the  ears  of  the  pursuers,  although 
few  gave  any  heed  even  if  they  heard  the 
mocking  words. 

At  last,  when  the  helpless  victim  had  been 
seized,  Erwin  was  holding  fast  to  a  leg,  Tay¬ 
lor  was  grasping  the  pig’s  tail,  while  another 
held  an  ear  or  foot,  and  some  even  were  cling¬ 
ing  to  the  long  bristles  on  the  back  or  sides. 
The  pig  was  lying  helpless  and  breathless  on 
the  ground  beneath  the  bodies  of  those  who 
had  flung  themselves  upon  it. 

“Let  the  lieutenant  decide,”  called  one  of 
the  men  as  all  clung  tenaciously  to  the  part 
of  the  pig’s  body  each  had  secured. 

Lieutenant  Brown  advanced  and  good- 
naturedly  agreed  to  the  proposal,  calling  out 
each  name  and  the  part  that  belonged  to  him 
as  he  proceeded  in  his  investigation.  “Pri¬ 
vate  Smith,  a  ham!”  “Private  Cooper,  one 
pig’s  tail,”  he  shouted.  Those  who  were 
among  the  fortunate  ones  laughed  as  Tay¬ 
lor’s  portion  was  announced,  but  those  who 


16  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


had  not  succeeded  in  laying  hands  upon  the 
pig  listened  glumly  and  made  no  response. 
To  them  it  was  not  a  laughing  matter  to  fail 
in  their  attempt  to  secure  a  bit  of  the  only 
fresh  meat  that  had  been  seen  in  the  camp. 

Within  a  half  hour  after  Lieutenant  Brown 
had  declared  his  awards  a  fire  had  been 
made  and  the  little  pig,  cut  into  many  por¬ 
tions,  was  boiling  in  one  of  the  iron  kettles 
that  belonged  to  the  camp.  Few  words  were 
spoken  by  the  men  who  gathered  about  the 
fire  and  waited — afraid  to  leave  the  place  be¬ 
fore  the  final  distribution  had  been  made. 
The  odors  from  the  kettle  served  to  deepen 
the  gloom  of  the  luckless  ones  who  lingered 
with  the  others  about  the  fire.  The  only 
eager  ones  were  those  who  had  been  named 
by  the  lieutenant  when  he  had  acted  as  ar¬ 
biter  in  the  dispute. 

Before  the  meal  had  been  thoroughly 
cooked  the  distribution  was  made  and  Erwin 
with  his  ham  and  Taylor  with  the  tail,  which, 
with  due  solemnity,  had  been  given  him,  de¬ 
parted.  The  wistful  eyes  of  some  of  his 
friends  were  more  than  Erwin  could  endure, 
and  his  invitations  to  join  him  in  his  repast 


EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP  17 

were  many — so  many,  in  fact,  that  there  was 
but  a  bit  of  boiled  bam  for  any  one. 

Just  as  the  repast  was  begun  by  the  hun¬ 
gry  men,  Samuel  Carson,  better  known  as 
Uncle  Sam — a  tall,  thin,  sour-visaged  young 
man,  whom  Erwin  had  known  in  the  village 
in  New  York  from  which  he  himself  had 
come,  approached  the  group. 

“Where  is  my  share,  Erwin V9  demanded 
Samuel. 

“You Ye  too  late,  I’m  afraid,”  said  Erwin, 
as  he  held  forth  to  view  the  small  piece 
which  he  was  holding  in  his  hand. 

“There’s  never  anything  for  me  when  you 
have  the  say!” 

Erwin’s  face  flushed  slightly  and  he  hesi¬ 
tated.  The  men  about  him  were  ravenously 
devouring  the  bits  which  had.  been  given 
them.  His  own  portion  was  pitifully  small 
and  he  was  intensely  hungry. 

“Why  didn’t  you  get  your  hand  on  the 
pig?”  demanded  Taylor  sharply. 

“I  tried  hard,  and  I  did,  for  that  matter. 
I  had  hold  of  the  foot  before  Erwin  did.  He 
pushed  me  off,”  retorted  Samuel  gruffly. 

‘  ‘  I  didn ’t  know  it,  ’  ’  laughed  Erwin.  4  ‘  P er- 


18  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


haps  I  did.  It  was  such  a  scramble  I  didn’t 
know  just  what  I  was  doing.  I’ll  give  you  a 
part  of  mine  anyway,”  he  added  as  he  di¬ 
vided  the  tiny  strip  he  was  holding. 

4 4 Hold  on  a  minute!”  exclaimed  Taylor  as 
he  arose  from  his  seat  on  the  ground  and 
faced  the  newcomer.  4 4 Uncle  Sam,  haven’t 
you  had  any  of  the  pig?  I  saw  you  coming 
from  the  lieutenant’s  mess.” 

4 4 Only  a  mouthful.” 

4  4  If  you  had  all  your  mouth  could  hold  you 
had  more  than  any  of  us  had.  Keep  your 
meat  and  swallow  it  now  before  some  one  else 
tries  to  get  it  away  from  you,”  he  added 
sharply  as  he  turned  to  his  friend. 

Hungry  and  weak,  Erwin  hastily  did  as 
he  was  bidden.  Samuel  watched  him,  his 
anger  apparent  in  the  malignant  expression 
of  his  face,  and  then  turning  abruptly  on  his 
heel  he  said  as  he  departed — 4  4  That  pig  meat 
will  cost  you  more  than  any  you  ever  had  or 
are  ever  likely  to  have !  I  shan’t  forget  your 
generosity.” 

4 4 Don’t!”  retorted  Taylor  as  Erwin  made 
no  response.  4 4 And  don’t  forget  either  how 
you  had  some  of  the  pork  at  the  lieutenant’s 


EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP 


19 


mess  and  then  came  over  here  and  tried  to 
get  some  of  onrs  too.  Don’t  forget  that, 
please,  and  the  next  time  a  stray  pig  runs 
into  camp  we’ll  try  to  cook  that  and  not  yon, 
though  there’s  mighty  little  difference  be¬ 
tween  you.” 

The  derisive  shout  of  laughter  that  rose 
from  the  men  followed  the  departing  Samuel, 
who  looked  behind,  plainly  showing  his  an¬ 
ger. 

“I  wish  I’d  divided  with  him,”  said  Erwin. 

“I’m  giaci  y0U  didn’t.  Sometimes  I  think 
Uncle  Sam  is  not  worth  feeding  at  all.  I’ve 
heard — ” 

‘ 4 What  have  you  heard!”  inquired  Erwin 
as  Taylor  stopped  abruptly. 

“ Never  mind,  now.  Perhaps  I’ll  tell  you 
later.  ’  ’ 

The  two  friends  by  this  time  had  returned 
to  the  place  where  the  one  blanket  which  they 
shared  in  turn  had  been  left.  For  several 
days  they  had  been  sleeping  in  the  daytime 
as  the  nights  were  so  cold  that  rest  was  well- 
nigh  impossible.  The  clothing  of  the  boys 
was  in  tatters,  and  even  the  shoes  on  their 
feet  were  in  shreds.  Only  the  preceding  day 


20  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Erwin  had  secured  an  old  felt  hat  which  some 
one  had  cast  away  as  useless,  and  from  it  had 
fashioned  soles  for  his  shoes,  sewing  the 
cloth  to  the  worn  leather  by  strings  which 
one  of  the  guard  had  generously  given  him. 
His  “new  shoes’ ’  were  a  source  of  envy  to 
many  of  his  comrades,  who  had  not  thought 
of  his  plan  of  repairing,  but  felt  hats  no 
longer  were  to  be  found  and  other  means 
were  not  to  be  had. 

Rice  and  salt  pork  had  been  the  chief  sta¬ 
ples  of  food,  and  as  these  were  cooked  by  the 
prisoners  themselves  the  diet  was  not  one 
upon  which  the  men  were  likely  to  thrive. 
Not  a  word  could  be  heard  as  to  the  actions 
of  the  army  to  which  the  boys  belonged,  and 
the  uncertainty  that  resulted  had  intensified 
the  feeling  of  homesickness,  which  more  than 
any  other  one  cause,  was  doing  much  to  make 
the  long  confinement  in  the  prison  pen  un¬ 
bearable. 

Erwin  had  keenly  suffered  from  this  cause, 
and,  had  it  not  been  for  his  friend  Taylor, 
would  have  been  even  worse  than  he  now  was. 
The  spirits  of  the  latter  apparently  never 
failed,  and,  though  Erwin  was  not  aware  of 


EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP 


21 


the  fact,  many  of  his  efforts  were  directed 
toward  the  one  purpose  of  preventing  his 
friend  from  becoming  entirely  hopeless. 

“This  night  makes  me  think  of  home,” 
said  Erwin  thoughtfully,  as  the  boys  seated 
themselves.  “You  know  our  farm  is  only  a 
half  mile  out  from  the  village  and  this  time 
of  the  year  the  boys  used  to  come  there. 
There  were  bushels  of  apples  and  barrels  of 
cider,  and  sparerib  and — ” 

“That’s  all  right,”  broke  in  Taylor  cheer¬ 
ily.  “You’ll  be  there  again  pretty  soon. 
This  war  isn’t  going  to  last  forever.  4 When 
Johnny  comes  marching  home  again,’  why, 
all  the  boys  and  girls  will  turn  out  to  see 
the  brave  soldier  boy!  There’ll  be  music 
and  all  the  sparerib  you  can  eat  and  twice  as 
many  barrels  of  cider  as  the  old  orchard  ever 
saw,  and  more  apples,  too.  You’ll  be  glad 
to  see  all  the  family  and — ” 

“If  I  ever  do  see  them,”  interrupted  Er¬ 
win. 

“See  them?  Of  course  we’ll  see  them! 
We’ll  be  exchanged  or — ” 

“Or  what?”  said  Erwin  as  his  friend 
paused. 


22  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Or  we’ll  get  away  from  this  pen.” 

“Doesn’t  look  much  like  it  now,”  mur¬ 
mured  Erwin,  as  he  glanced  at  the  guards 
patroling  the  camp. 

“Of  course  it  doesn’t  just  now.  You  don’t 
suppose  we’ll  walk  out  and  find  no  one  ready 
to  stop  us,  do  you?  That  isn’t  the  way  it’s 
done.” 

“How  is  it  done?” 

“Oh,  there  are  a  hundred  ways.” 

“Mention  one.” 

“Well,  there  was  Tom  Woods  who  was  in 
Libby  when  I  was  there.  He  didn’t  feel  very 
well  one  day  and  the  next  day  he  was  worse 
and  he  was  taken  to  the  hospital.  He  kept 
getting  worse  and  worse  and  finally  he  was 
taken  to  the  dead  room — ” 

“Was  he  dead?  That  isn’t  the  way  I 
mean.” 

“I’ve  had  my  doubts  about  Tom’s  being 
so  very  dead.  You  see  he’d  told  me  his  plans 
and  just  how  he  was  going  to  go  through 
what  it  was  said  he  did  go  through.  I’ve  a 
notion  that  the  darkies,  when  they  took  out 
the  dead  that  day  when  Tom  ‘died,’  got  a 
scare  that  made  their  wool  straighten  out.” 


EXCITEMENT  IN  CAMP 


23 


“You  don’t  really  think  Tom  was  dead?” 

“No,  I  don’t.  At  least  I  have  my  doubts. 
It  won’t  scare  me  any  when  I  take  his  hand 
when  I  get  home.  I  know  that  much  any¬ 
way.  ’  ’ 

“You  always  find  something  to  cheer  you 
up,”  said  Erwin,  with  more  interest  than  as 
yet  he  had  shown. 

“Of  course  I  do.  That’s  the  only  way. 
Listen,  Erwin,  I’ve  got  something  to  tell 
you,”  Taylor  added,  as  he  cautiously  glanced 
about  him  to  make  certain  no  one  was  within 
hearing. 


CHAPTER  II 


TUNNELS 

The  two  friends  were  not  near  any  of  their 
comrades  at  the  time  and  satisfied  that  his 
words  conld  not  be  overheard,  Taylor  said 
abruptly,  “We  must  try  to  get  out  of  this 
camp.” 

For  a  moment  Erwin’s  face  brightened  as 
he  stared  at  his  companion.  The  thought  of 
escaping  had  often  been  in  his  own  mind,  but 
thus  far  an  opportunity  had  not  been  found. 
Indeed,  so  well  was  the  place  guarded,  that 
the  possibility  of  a  break  for  freedom  had 
seemed  hopeless.  The  recollection  of  his 
own  experiences  caused  the  young  prisoner’s 
face  to  darken  once  more,  and  he  said  in  a 
low  voice:  “  ‘Must’  is  a  good  word,  Tay¬ 
lor.  It  is  easy  to  say  what  ought  to  be  done, 
but  it  isn’t  so  easy  to  tell  how  to  do  it.  Have 
you  any  plan?” 

“Not  one.” 

« 

“How  are  you  going  to  get  away  then?” 

24 


TUNNELS 


25 


4 'Find  a  way.  We  must  set  onr  heads  to  . 
working.  If  we  can’t  find  a  way  we  must 
make  one.  I  don’t  mean  to  stay  here  much 
longer.” 

"I’m  sure  I  don’t  want  to,  either;  but  what 
can  be  done!” 

"That’s  something  we  must  find  out.” 

"A  good  many  have  tried  it,”  suggested 
Erwin  dubiously. 

"And  some  have  made  it.” 

"Some  haven’t.” 

"That  doesn’t  change  the  fact  that  some 
did.” 

"You  always  find  something  good  to  see  or 
say.  Only  yesterday  when  we  found  our  salt 
pork  spoiled  and  the  little  rice  we  had  was 
not  good  you  laughed  and  said,  'If  we’re  hun¬ 
gry  we  sha’n’t  have  to  suffer  from  eating  too 
much.’  ” 

"What’s  the  matter  with  that!” 

"Nothing.  Only  I  don’t  seem  to  be  able 
to  make  the  plan  work  in  my  case.  When 
I’m  hungry — then  I’m  hungry,  and  that’s  all 
there  is  to  it.  If  my  tooth  aches  I  don’t  find 
much  comfort  in  thinking  that  I  haven’t  ever 
had  to  have  my  foot  cut  off.” 


26  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Yes,  and  that’s  where  yon  make  your  mis¬ 
take.  You’d  feel  better  if  you  did.” 

“It  works  all  right  with  you.” 

“It  will  with  you,  too.  I  knew  an  old 
Scotchman  who  was  a  very  devout  man.  He 
used  to  thank  the  Lord  when  rheumatism 
came  that  it  wasn’t  gout,  and  when  he  had 
the  gout,  he  was  just  as  glad  it  wasn’t  rheu¬ 
matism.” 

“What  did  he  do  when  he  had  both?” 

“Thanked  the  Lord  he  wasn’t  blind.” 

Erwin  laughed  as  he  said,  “You’ve  learned 
the  lesson  all  right,  but  I’m  afraid  I  haven’t. 
I  can’t  get  away  from  what  I  see  here,”  he 
added,  as  he  glanced  about  the  prison  pen. 
Hundreds  of  men  as  unfortunate  as  them¬ 
selves  were  to  be  seen,  some  walking  discon¬ 
solately  about  the  field,  some  seated,  and  oth¬ 
ers  lying  upon  the  ground.  All  about  the 
place  the  guard  of  Confederate  soldiers  were 
to  be  seen  and  the  “dead  line”  was  plainly 
marked.  If  any  man  dared  to  cross  it,  his 
fate  was  sealed. 

“You’ll  learn,”  said  Taylor.  “You’re 
bound  to  learn.  Now  have  you  any  scheme 


TUNNELS  27 

to  suggest?  You  must  have  an  idea  or  two 
about  you.” 

“I’ve  thought  of  it,  of  course,  hut  what 
good  does  thinking  do?  You  can’t  even  try 
to  tunnel  when  you’re  in  the  open  all  the 
time.  ’  ’ 

“  Tunneling  is  hard  work.  Let  us  be  glad 
and  rejoice  that  we  haven’t  that  to  do.  We’ll 
save  our  strength  for  what  comes  after  we 
get  away.  ’  ’ 

“Sometimes  I’ve  had  an  idea  that  we 
might  run  for  it  some  morning  when  we  go 
for  water.  The  guard  that  goes  with  us  to 
the  spring  is  made  up  of  good  shots,  however, 
and  I’m  afraid  we  wouldn’t  go  far.” 

“You’re  doing  better.  Breaking  away 
from  the  guard  is  better  than  digging  a  tun¬ 
nel.  What  else?” 

“I  haven’t  thought  of  anything  more,”  re¬ 
plied  Erwin  gloomily. 

“When  I  was  in  Libby,”  began  Taylor,  as 
if  he  had  not  heard  his  friend’s  reply,  “Colo¬ 
nel  Rose  of  the  Seventy-seventh  Pennsyl¬ 
vania  got  up  a  plan  for  tunneling  out  of  the 
old  trap.  Just  twenty-seven  men  were  taken 


28  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


into  the  plan  and  every  one  was  to  be  a 
worker.  Yon  see,  the  colonel  knew  what  he 
was  about,  for  he’d  been  in  the  Mexican  war, 
and  when  he  was  taken  prisoner  there  he  dug 
a  tunnel  out  beyond  the  guard  and  got  away 
from  the  ‘greasers.’  All  the  men  in  his  plan 
at  Libby  knew  of  this  and  they  were  all  ready 
to  do  anything  he  told  them.  The  colonel  had 
found  in  the  basement  a  little  room  which 
wasn’t  used  for  anything,  and  after  he’d 
been  watching  for  a  few  days  he  found  that 
no  one  went  near  it. 

“One  day  the  colonel  went  in  there  him¬ 
self  and  discovered  that  one  of  the  chimneys 
came  down  into  that  room.  This  chimney 
ran  up  through  our  cookroom  and  the  first 
thing  to  be  done  was  to  make  an  opening  in 
that.  The  slop  barrels  hid  this  opening,  so 
there  was  little  danger  of  its  being  discov¬ 
ered. 

“One  day  the  rebels  were  arranging  for 
a  flag  raising  at  the  prison  and  when  they’d 
finished  their  work  they  left  a  short  ladder 
behind  them  in  our  room.  This  ladder  was 
taken  and  lowered  in  the  chimney.  Then  at 
the  bottom  where  the  ladder  rested  work  was 


TUNNELS  29 

begun  at  once  in  digging  a  hole  through  the 
chimney  wall.” 

“Didn’t  any  one  ask  for  the  ladder?  Was 
there  any  search  for  it!” 

“Yes,  but  it  didn’t  amount  to  much  for  it 
was  believed  it  had  been  broken  up  for  kin¬ 
dling  wood.  An  old  broken  trowel  and  half 
a  tin  canteen  were  the  only  tools  our  men 
had  in  their  digging  until  one  day  some  ma¬ 
sons  came  to  do  some  repairing  and  while 
they  were  busy  somehow  one  of  their  trowels 
mysteriously  disappeared.  We  all  tried  to 

\ 

help  find  it  but  naturally  we  didn’t  succeed, 
because  it  was  down  in  the  tunnel  where  we 
had  two  men  at  work  all  the  time.  One  man 
would  dig  and  the  other  would  scoop  up  the 
dirt  with  an  old  blanket  and  carry  it  to  a  cor¬ 
ner  of  the  room  where  the  tunnel  started. 

“At  last  the  work  was  all  done  and  the 
end  of  the  tunnel  was  in  a  vacant  lot  sixty- 
five  feet  from  the  walls  of  old  Libby.  It  was 
just  big  enough  for  one  man  at  a  time  to 
crawl  through  it.  The  funny  part  of  it  all 
was  that  the  sentinels  saw  every  man  that 
came  out  and  didn ’t  hail  one.  ’  ’ 


“Why  not?” 


30  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Took  them  for  some  of  the  ‘  Johnnies’  go¬ 
ing  through  the  boxes  that  had  been  sent  us 
from  home.  You  see  these  boxes  were  all 
stacked  right  over  the  end  of  the  tunnel.’ ’ 

‘  ‘  How  many  of  our  men  got  away  ?  ’  ’ 

“A  hundred  and  fifteen.” 

“You  don’t  mean  it!  Hid  the  rebels 
catch  any  of  them?” 

“Yes.  They  got  twelve  the  first  day,  six¬ 
teen  the  second  and  twenty  the  third.  All 
the  others — let  me  see,  that  left  sixty-seven, 
— were  never  heard  of.  I’ve  no  doubt  they 
reached  our  lines  all  right.” 

“How  did  the  men  leave  the  prison — I 
mean  how  did  they  go  out  through  the  tun¬ 
nel  ?  ’  ’ 

“That’s  where  the  break  was  made  that  al¬ 
most  spoiled  the  whole  thing.  Only  the 
twenty-seven  were  supposed  to  know  any¬ 
thing  about  the  tunnel,  but  some  of  them  of 
course  told  their  friends  and  the  first  thing 
we  knew  there  was  a  fighting  mob — every 
man  trying  to  be  the  first  to  get  out.  It  was 
,a  fierce  fight,  too,  for  our  men  were  like  wild 
beasts.  Two  or  three  shrewd  little  chaps 
put  up  a  game  that  let  them  get  out  ahead. 


TUNNELS 


31 


When  the  mob  was  wildest  these  young  fel¬ 
lows  went  where  the  pots  and  pans  were  kept 
and  began  to  rattle  them  at  a  great  rate  and 
in  a  minnte  the  clatter  made  onr  men  think 
the  guard  was  coming.  When  the  fellows  ran 
from  the  tunnel  these  young  fellows  made  a 
break  for  it  and  got  out  before  the  others 
got  their  eyes  open.  Then  the  wild  rush  be¬ 
gan  again.” 

“How  was  it  that  only  a  few  got  away?” 

“It  was  slow  work  crawling  through  that 
long  tunnel  one  at  a  time.  Then  Lieutenant 
Randolph,  who  is  a  big  fellow,  got  caught  in 
the  middle  of  it  and  couldn’t  go  ahead  or 
back  out.  The  man  in  front  pulled  on  him 
and  the  man  behind  pushed  and  at  last  they 
got  the  lieutenant  through,  but  he  was  almost 
dead  and  of  course  it  made  a  long  delay. 
When  daylight  came  and  the  work  had  to 
stop  we  counted  up  and  found  that  one  hun¬ 
dred  and  fifteen  had  crawled  out.” 

“How  did  the  rebels  find  out?” 

“The  morning  roll  call  showed  who  were 
missing.  At  first  the  guard  couldn’t  under¬ 
stand  what  had  become  of  the  prisoners  and 
the  men  were  poking  fun  at  one  another  for 


32  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  ‘mistake.’  Pretty  soon  the  guard  became 
a  little  more  serious  and  then  they  made  us 
all  go  into  one  room  and  come  out  by  twos 
while  they  checked  off  every  name.  They 
tried  the  same  thing  twice,  but  got  the  same 
result — the  roll  call  was  one  hundred  and  fif¬ 
teen  short.  Then  they  began  to  look,  and  of 
course  in  a  little  while  they  found  the  tunnel 
and  everything  was  plain.” 

“What  did  they  do  to  you?” 

‘  ‘  Shortened  up  our  rations  for  awhile,  but 
they  laughed  and  joked  with  us  about  it. 
They  called  the  tunnel  ‘The  Great  Yankee 
Wonder.’  For  awhile  there  was  a  guard  at 
each  end  of  it  and  hundreds  of  people  came 
to  see  the  sight.” 

“Why  didn’t  you  get  away,  Taylor?” 

“Somebody  had  to  be  left.” 

“Didn’t  you  have  a  chance?  Weren’t  you 
near  enough  to  crowd  into  it?” 

“Yes,  I  believe  I  was  once.” 

“Why  didn’t  you  go  on?” 

“Well,  I  don’t  just  remember  unless  it 
was  that  there  was  a  young  chap  next  to  me 
who  had  a  wife  and  two  babies  at  home.  He 
seemed  to  be  a  bit  more  anxious  than  I  was 


TUNNELS 


33 


and  I  tliink  he  got  my  place  away  from  me.” 

“Yon  mean  you  let  him  have  your  place !” 

“Do  IV ’  laughed  Taylor. 

“Yes,  you  do.  It’s  a  good  story,  all  right, 
but  how  can  it  help  us  here?  We  can’t  dig  a 
tunnel.  ’  ’ 

“No  more  we  can’t.  But  it  has  one  or  two 
good  lessons  for  us.” 

‘  6  What  ?  ’  ’ 

“Well,  one  is  that  twenty-seven  is  too  large 
a  number  to  make  a  plan  at  one  time.  Two 
are  all  we  want.  You  and  I.” 

“What  are  we  going  to  try?” 

“The  rebels  sent  a  lot  of  us  on  to  Dan¬ 
ville  pretty  soon,”  began  Taylor  again  as  if 
he  had  not  heard  his  friend’s  question. 
“They  sent  us  in  box  cars.  The  old  train 
was  pretty  well  guarded  and  bumped  along 
so  slowly  that  one  time  when  we  were  going 
through  a  stretch  of  woods  two  of  our  boys 
jumped  off  the  car  and  made  for  the  trees.” 

“Did  they  get  away?”  demanded  Erwin 
eagerly. 

‘  ‘  Of  course !  All  the  fellows  struck  up  the 
Star  Spangled  Banner  when  we  heard  what 
had  occurred,  but  the  guard  shut  us  in  the 


34  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


cars  and  locked  the  doors.  It  was  quite 
warm  enough  then,  thank  you,  without  ex¬ 
erting  ourselves  any  more.  At  Danville  they 
sent  us  to  a  great  tobacco  warehouse  and  we 
hadn’t  been  there  but  a  little  while  before  we 
began  another  tunnel.” 

“Did  it  work?  Did  anybody  get  away?” 

“Probably.  Unfortunately,  however,  I 
was  sent  on  with  some  of  our  boys — ” 

‘  ‘  Sent  where  ? 9  9 

“Macon.” 

“Did  you  try  another  tunnel  there?” 

“Not  while  I  was  on  the  spot.  Two  or 
three  chaps  got  away  by  a  slick  trick.  One 
night  two  climbed  into  a  big  tree  and  hid  in 
the  branches.  They  had  been  saving  a  little 
water  and  something  to  eat,  and  up  in  that 
tree  the  boys  stayed  two  days.  The  guard 
looked  everywhere,  but  not  a  trace  of  the 
missing  prisoners  could  they  find.  After  the 
search  the  boys  slid  down  from  their  roosting 
place  one  dark  night  and  departed.” 

“Did  the  guard  find  them?” 

“Not  a  bit.  What  did  you  expect?  Then 
two  other  fellows  dug  holes  in  the  ground 
and  stayed  in  them  for  a  couple  of  days,  and 


TUNNELS 


35 


then  made  for  the  lines  of  the  boys  in  blue.,? 

“I  don’t  see  how  digging  holes  in  the 
ground  could  help.  They  were  still  in  the 
prison  or  prison  pen,  weren’t  they!” 

“Yes,  but  the  whole  camp  was  to  be  moved 
the  next  day  and  our  boys  were  hoping  they’d 
be  left  behind.  After  the  guard  was  gone 
then  it  would  be  easy  to  dig  their  way  out, 
you  see.** 

1 1  Did  all  get  away !  ’  ’ 

“Pretty  nearly.  Now,  Erwin,  if  those  fel¬ 
lows  could  think  of  something,  we  can  try  it, 
too.  I  know  there  is  some  way  out.  I  be¬ 
lieve  I’ve  got  it  now!”  Taylor  suddenly  ex¬ 
claimed  as  he  stood  quickly  erect. 


CHAPTER  III 


THE  NEEDLE 

“What  is  it?”  inquired  Erwin  showing 
his  first  sign  of  interest  in  the  words  of  his 
friend. 

“See  that?”  demanded  Taylor,  as  he 
showed  Erwin  a  needle  which  he  had  drawn 
from  the  lapel  of  his  tattered  coat. 

“Yes,  I  see  it.  What  is  it?” 

“A  needle.” 

“What  will  you  do  with  it?” 

“Find  our  way  out  of  Camp  Sorghum.” 

“I  don’t  see  how.”  Erwin’s  first  interest 
had  departed  as  soon  as  he  saw  the  tiny  little 
implement  in  Taylor’s  hand.  Aware  as  he 
was  of  his  friend’s  imperturbable  good  na¬ 
ture,  he  looked  upon  the  proposal  as  merely 
another  of  Taylor’s  many  nonsensical  proj¬ 
ects. 

“Some  people  can’t  see  the  point  even 
when  it’s  right  before  them.” 

“That’s  all  right,  Taylor.  The  joke’s  lost 

36 


THE  NEEDLE  37 

on  me.  I’m  afraid  I’m  not  in  the  mood  to 
enjoy  it.” 

“  Yon  will  when  yon  see  what  I  mean  to  do 
with  this  needle.” 

“What  is  that!” 

“Find  our  way  out  of  this  prison  pen,  just 
as  I  told  you.” 

“But  you  didn’t  tell  me.” 

“If  I  didn’t  I  will  now.  In  what  direction 
is  my  needle  pointing!”  inquired  Taylor  as 
he  held  up  the  needle  which  he  was  grasping 
between  his  thumb  and  forefinger. 

“North.” 

‘  ‘  Correct.  Erwin,  you  always  were  better 
than  I  in  answering  questions  when  we  were 
in  school.  I’m  glad  you  haven’t  forgotten 
the  trick.” 

“I  don’t  see  what  you  mean.” 

“Don’t  sailors  follow  the  ‘needle’!” 

“Yes,  but  their  ‘needle’  isn’t  like  yours.” 

“Mine  is  better.  If  sailors  follow  theirs, 
I  don’t  see  why  we  soldiers  can’t  follow 
ours.” 

Erwin  did  not  reply.  The  bantering  words 
found  no  response  in  his  troubled  heart. 
Taylor  might  have  his  fun  if  he  chose,  but 


38  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


as  for  himself,  thought  Erwin,  there  was 
nothing  in  them  to  appeal  to  him. 

“I  tell  you,”  continued  Taylor,  “that  I 
have  ‘  found  the  way  I  long  have  sought  and 
mourned  because  I  found  it  not.’  That’s 
what  your  grandfather  used  to  be  singing  all 
the  time — ” 

“Don’t!”  protested  Erwin  quickly.  The 
reference  of  his  friend  had  brought  to  his 
mind  the  recollection  of  his  grandfather — a 
saintly,  sweet-faced  old  man  whose  love  of 
singing  was  well  known.  How  many  times  in 
the  little  village  church  Sunday  afternoons 
had  Erwin  as  a  little  lad  watched  his  grand¬ 
father  singing  that  very  song.  The  old 
man’s  eyes  would  be  closed,  his  head  thrown 
slightly  back,  while  in  the  absence  of  an  or¬ 
gan  in  the  room  in  which  the  assembly  met, 
he  pitched  the  tune. 

“But  I  will.  I  tell  you  I’m  full  of  my 
project!”  persisted  Taylor,  aware  of  the 
wave  of  homesickness  which  had  swept  over 
his  companion.  “It  is  the  greatest  discov¬ 
ery  since  ‘befo’  th’  wa’,’  as  the  darkies  say 
down  here.” 

“You  haven’t  told  me  what  your  project 


THE  NEEDLE  39 

is,  ’  ’  said  Erwin  indifferently,  not  even  glanc¬ 
ing  at  Taylor  as  he  spoke. 

“That,  I  can’t  tell  yon — yet.  Wait!  It’s 
coming  though.  This  little  needle  is  better 
than  a  mariner’s  compass  is  for  sailors 
rocked  on  the  bosom  of  the  deep.  Friends, 
countrymen,  fellow-citizens,  Johnnies,  contra¬ 
band,  et  ceteras,”  added  Taylor,  rising  as  he 
spoke,  and  in  mock  solemnity  sweeping  his 
arm  toward  the  camp,  “if  you  will  all  turn 
the  entire  length  of  your  ears  toward  me, 
I’ll  give  you  something  to  make  you  wise. 
Columbus  had  trouble  with  his  men  because 
his  needle  was  askew.  This  little  implement 
of  steel  is  worth  more  than  a  dozen  needles 
of  Columbus.  His  needle  helped  him  to  find 
a  few  savages  clad  chiefly  in  modesty  and 
childlike  simplicity.  This  needle  will  point 
the  way  to  better  things.  Sparerib,  cider, 
fried  cakes,  mince  pies,  all  the  comforts  of 
home  are  at  the  end  of  the  way  it  points. 
Back  to  the  farm !  Back  to  the  orchards  and 
lowing  kine!  Back — ” 

Taylor  stopped  abruptly,  perceiving  that 
Erwin  was  in  no  mood  to  listen  to  mock 
heroics.  The  sight  of  his  dejected  friend 


40  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


aroused  anew  the  spirit  of  determination  in 
Taylor ’s  mind.  Something  must  be  done  and 
done  soon  or  Erwin  would  never  leave  the 
dreary  prison  pen.  Homesickness,  hunger, 
despair,  all  had  written  their  lessons  plainly 
on  the  face  of  the  young  prisoner.  The  sight 
was  more  than  pathetic,  it  was  tragic. 
Something  must  be  done. 

“The  needle  is  pointing  the  way  now,” 
said  Taylor  in  a  different  tone  of  voice  as  he 
pretended  to  study  the  tip  of  the  needle  which 
he  still  held.  “I  must  follow.  I  shall  be 
back  ‘  ’ere  before  long,’  as  good  old  Uncle 
Eoswell  Glass  used  to  say.  Don’t  go  far 
away  while  I ’m  gone.  ’  ’ 

“Not  much  danger  of  that,”  responded  Er¬ 
win  dejectedly.  “Hush!  What’s  that?”  he 
demanded  quickly,  sitting  erect  as  the  report 
of  a  rifle  was  heard.  Across  the  field  men 
already  could  be  seen  hastening  toward  the 
border  of  the  camp  whence  the  sound  had 
come.  Instantly  Taylor  and  Erwin  followed. 
When  they  arrived  at  the  place  where  the 
crowd  halted  they,  too,  joined  the  excited 
throng.  And  deeply  excited  every  man  ap¬ 
peared  to  be.  There  were  expressions  of 


THE  NEEDLE 


41 


rage  to  be  seen  in  the  flashing  eyes  of  the 
prisoners.  The  glances  were  divided  be¬ 
tween  the  lifeless  form  of  one  of  their  own 
comrades  stretched  on  the  ground,  and  the 
guard  who  was  patroling  the  border  of  the 
camp,  apparently  indifferent  to  the  anger  of 
the  assembled  prisoners. 

“Who  is  it!”  inquired  Taylor,  as  he  and 
Erwin  pushed  their  way  to  the  front. 

“Anthony  Wood,”  replied  one. 

‘ 4  What  happened  to  him  ?  ’ ’ 

“Shot.  Can’t  you  see  for  yourself?” 

“Who  shot  him?” 

“The  guard.” 

“Why?” 

“Claimed  he  was  across  the  dead  line.” 

“Was  he?” 

“Of  course  he  wasn’t.” 

“Why  was  he  shot,  then?” 

“You  tell.  Oh,  it’s  more  than  we  can 
stand  much  longer!  Anthony  isn’t  the  only 
one  who’s  been  shot  down  in  cold  blood. 
Where’s  Sherman?  Where’s  Hooker?  Why 
doesn’t  somebody  wake  up  at  Washington 
and  do  something?  Here  we  are  shut  up  like 
rats  in  a  trap!  And  we’re  left  here  to 


42  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


starve,  or  worse!  Look  at  Anthony!  Look 
at  him!  Poor  chap,  he’s  ont  of  this  place 
anyway.  I  wish  I  was,  too,  even  if  I  have 
to  go  the  way  poor  Anthony  did.  ’  ’  The  man, 
who  was  unknown  to  Taylor,  ended  in  a  dry 
sob.  His  haggard  face  was  discolored  by 
filth  which  apparently  he  had  not  removed 
for  days.  His  tattered  clothing  and  long, 
tangled  hair  increased  the  effect  of  his 
wretchedness. 

At  this  moment  the  attention  of  the  as¬ 
sembly  was  drawn  to  an  officer  who  was  giv¬ 
ing  directions  as  to  what  should  be  done  with 
the  body  of  the  fallen  man.  Apparently  the 
mutterings  of  the  prisoners  moved  the  young 
officer  to  stop  and  turn  toward  the  group. 

i  A ’m  sorry,  ’ ’  he  said  quietly.  4  ‘  The  man, 9  9 
he  added,  nodding  his  head  at  the  band  which 
had  departed  with  the  victim  of  the  guard, 

‘  ‘  knew  where  the  dead  line  is.  He  knew  what 
would  happen  to  him  if  he  tried  to  cross  it. 
If  he  had  kept  himself  where  he  belonged  he 
wouldn’t  have  had  any  trouble.” 

“He  was  inside  the  line,”  called  someone 
in  the  assembly. 


THE  NEEDLE 


43 


“The  guard  says  he  crossed  it.” 

“The  guard  lies!” 

“We  are  compelled  to  accept  his  word,” 
said  the  young  officer  quietly.  “The  rules 
of  a  prison  camp  are  not  made  for  fun.  You 
all  know  where  the  dead  line  is.  You  all 
know  what  it  is  there  for.  You  all  know, 
too,  what  the  orders  of  the  guard  are  if  he 
sees  a  man  crossing  it.  Take  my  word  and 
keep  away  from  the  dead  line.  Don’t  ever 
get  too  close  to  it.  Every  guard  has  his 
strict  orders  and  he  isn’t  the  one  to  blame 
if  anything  happens.  That’s  what  he’s  here 
for — to  do  just  what  he’s  ordered.” 

The  mutterings  of  the  prisoners  did  not 
cease  when  the  young  officer  turned  away. 
Glances  of  anger  followed  him  as  he  returned 
to  his  quarters.  The  very  helplessness  of  the 
men  seemed  to  increase  their  childish  expres¬ 
sions  of  rage. 

“Talk  about  escaping,”  said  Erwin  to  Tay¬ 
lor  as  the  two  started  back  across  the  field. 
“That  poor  chap  couldn’t  even  get  across  the 
dead  line,  much  less  get  away  from  the  camp. 
And  yet  you  talk  of  getting  away.  ’  ’ 


44  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“I  don’t  ‘talk’  very  mucli  about  it,”  re¬ 
plied  Taylor,  glancing  quickly  about  him  as 
lie  spoke. 

“You  believe  it,  though.” 

“I  do,”  said  Taylor  quietly.  “That  man 
Anthony  Wood,  I  think  they  said  his  name 
was,  was  a  fool.” 

“Hush!”  cautioned  Erwin  as  a  Confed¬ 
erate  officer  drew  near. 

“He  was  a  fool,”  continued  Taylor,  his 
voice  rising  slightly.  “He  knew  where  the 
dead  line  was  and  he  knew  what  it  was  for. 
If  he’d  kept  away  from  it,  he’d  have  kept 
himself  in  better  health.  If  we  were  on 
guard  in  a  camp  in  the  North  and  we  had  a 
camp  full  of  rebels,  what  do  you  think  we’d 
do!” 

The  passing  officer  plainly  overheard  and 
understood  what  the  young  prisoner  was  say¬ 
ing.  He  glanced  back  as  he  passed  on, 
laughed  good-naturedly  at  the  young  prison¬ 
ers,  but  did  not  speak. 

“You  find  an  excuse  for  the  guard  in  shoot¬ 
ing  the  man,”  said  Erwin  indignantly. 

“He  does  not  need  any  excuse.  He  was 
obeying  orders.” 


THE  NEEDLE 


45 


“They  say  Anthony  Wood  wasn’t  across 
the  dead  line.  ’  ’ 

“If  that’s  true  it’s  a  different  matter.” 

“Our  men  say  it’s  true.” 

“Yes,  they  ‘say’  it,  but  there  wasn’t  a  man 
near  when  Anthony  Wood  was  shot.  What’s 
the  use,  Erwin?  We  aren’t  playing  prison¬ 
er’s  base.  We  understand  what  the  rules  of 
this  game  are.  All  I  say  is,  that  a  man  is 
a  fool  to  get  too  near  the  dead  line  of  the 
camp,  that’s  all.” 

“And  yet  you  say  you’re — ”  began  Erwin 
cautiously,  and  then  sharply  checked  himself. 

“I  not  only  say  it,  but  I’m  going  to  do  it.” 

“How?” 

“With  my  little  needle.” 

“When?” 

“I’m  going  to  begin  now.  You  go  back 
to  our  elegant  abode  and  have  a  nap.  You 
need  sleep  and  you’ll  need  it  more  before 
long.  I’ll  be  back  soon.” 

Abruptly  turning  away,  Taylor  left  his 
friend  staring  at  him.  When  next  Taylor 
looked  back  he  saw  that  Erwin  was  slowly 
walking  in  the  direction  of  their  quarters,  if 
the  open  space  of  ground,  sheltered  by  a  torn 


46  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


blanket  and  reserved  by  them,  could  be  dig¬ 
nified  by  such  a  name. 

Three  hours  later  Taylor,  too,  returned  and 
seated  himself  on  the  ground  near  his  friend, 
who  was  sleeping  heavily.  Another  hour 
passed  and  still  Taylor  had  not  changed  his 
seat.  In  his  hands  was  a  coat  upon  which  he 
had  been  working  steadily  since  his  return. 
The  needle  which  he  had  promised  Erwin 
would  show  them  the  way  to  liberty  was  do¬ 
ing  duty  now  in  drawing  the  thread  which 
Taylor  apparently  had  secured  from  some 
source. 

At  this  moment  Erwin  moved,  opened  his 
eyes  and  for  a  brief  time  stared  at  his  friend. 
Then  sitting  quickly  erect  he  said: 

“What  are  you  doing,  Taylor ?” 

“Following  my  needle.” 

“What  do  you  mean?” 

“Just  what  I  say.  Can’t  you  see?” 

“You’re  sewing.” 

“Am  I?” 

“What  is  that  in  your  hands — a  coat?” 

“Yes.” 


“Whose  is  it?” 


THE  NEEDLE 


47 


“Lieutenant  Evans — the  officer  we  met  on 
our  way  back  here  a  little  while  ago.” 
“What  are  you  doing  with  his  coat!” 
“Mending  it.” 

“What  are  you  doing  that  for!”  demanded 
Erwin  indignantly. 

“I’ve  told  you  already.” 

“What!” 

“Following  my  needle.  If  we  follow  it  all 
right  it’ll  take  us  out  of  this  forlorn  place. 
I  never  wanted  anything  so  much  as  I  do 
that.  ’ ’ 

“I  wish  you’d  explain  yourself,”  said  Er¬ 
win  testily. 

“I  will,  with  pleasure,”  responded  Taylor, 
rejoiced  that  his  friend  at  last  had  been  even 
slightly  aroused.  “This  needle  which  you 

see  in  my  hands  I  found.  This  coat  occasion- 

%/ 

ally  covers  the  elegant  figure  of  Lieutenant 
Evans  of  the  so-called  C.  S.  A.  To  him  I 
went  and  displayed  my  needle.  Likewise  my 
talent  as  a  tailor.” 

“Did  you  tell  him  you  were  a  tailor!” 

‘  Wes,  I  told  him  I  was  a  Taylor.  Instantly 
the  proud  Southerner  responded.  He  gave 


48  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


me  this  coat  to  mend,  and  eke  also  and  addi¬ 
tional  his  promise  of  more.” 

Erwin  leaped  to  his  feet  and  his  interest 
was  now  sufficient  to  satisfy  even  his  friend. 


CHAPTER  IV 


UNCLE  SAM 

“You  intend  to  dress  in  that  coat  and  try 
to  pass  the  guard,’ ’  exclaimed  Erwin  in  a  low 
voice  as  he  looked  down  upon  his  friend. 

“Yon  are  beginning  to  find  the  trail,’ ’  re¬ 
plied  Taylor. 

“But  what  of  me?”  Erwin  demanded  after 
a  moment  of  silence.  “There’s  only  one  coat 
and  we  can’t  both  of  us  walk  out  in  that.” 

“That’s  true.” 

The  expression  of  Erwin’s  face  instantly 
changed.  The  young  prisoner’s  despond¬ 
ency  returned.  His  blue  eyes  were  moist  and 
all  the  energy  and  interest  he  had  displayed 
a  moment  before  apparently  were  gone.  Of 
medium  size,  ordinarily  strong  and  quick  in 
every  bodily  action,  he  now  presented  a  pic¬ 
ture  of  complete  hopelessness.  Erwin’s 
moods  were  many  and  the  passage  from  one 
to  another  was  sometimes  so  sudden  as  to 
be  puzzling  to  those  who  were  not  well  ac- 

49 


50  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


quainted  with  the  impulsive  young  prisoner. 

Taylor,  taller  almost  by  a  head  than  his 
friend,  dark  of  hair  and  eyes,  wiry  and  mus¬ 
cular  of  body  and  much  slower  in  his  move¬ 
ments,  except  when  prompt  action  was  re¬ 
quired,  in  many  ways  was  the  counterpart 
of  his  companion.  In  their  country  home 
each  had  been  famed  for  his  ability  as  a 
wrestler.  Popular  as  the  sport  was  among 
the  country  boys,  for  some  reason  there  had 
never  been  a  test  of  strength  and  skill  be¬ 
tween  Taylor  and  Erwin.  Perhaps  each  had 
a  stronger  feeling  of  respect  for  the  other’s 
prowess  than  either  cared  to  acknowledge. 
The  skill,  as  well  as  the  strength  of  each 
was  so  different  from  that  employed  by  the 
other  that  both  had  laughingly  declared  that 
a  match  would  be  no  true  test.  The  sincere 
regard  of  each  for  the  other  may  have  in¬ 
tensified  this  feeling,  but  whatever  the  cause 
may  have  been,  the  warm  friendship  between 
the  two  had  never  been  broken,  and  despite 
the  eager  desires  of  the  admirers  of  both  a 
wrestling  match  between  the  two  had  never 
been  successfully  arranged. 

Erwin,  full  of  life  and  quick  to  see  or  play 


UNCLE  SAM 


51 


a  joke,  liad  somehow  grown  in  his  feeling  of 
respect  for  the  more  quiet  and  ofttimes  droll 
ways  of  Taylor.  Slower  in  speech,  less  ener¬ 
getic  at  least  in  appearance,  the  latter  never¬ 
theless  was  deeply  respected  for  the  reserve 
power  which  all  his  comrades  knew  he  pos¬ 
sessed.  Never  had  the  dissimilarities  be¬ 
tween  the  two  friends  been  more  manifest 
than  in  the  afternoon  of  this  November  day, 
when  both  were  prisoners  in  Camp  Sorghum 
near  the  capital  of  South  Carolina. 

The  silence  which  had  followed  Taylor’s 
trite  remark  in  responding  to  his  friend’s 
suggestion  was  unbroken  for  a  time.  Taylor, 
seated  upon  the  ground,  continued  to  wield 
his  needle  and  thread  so  deftly  that  Erwin, 
watching  him,  was  interested  in  his  clever¬ 
ness  despite  his  own  feeling  of  depression. 
And  yet  it  was  not  surprising  after  all,  Er¬ 
win  thought,  as  he  recalled  many  of  the  sur¬ 
prising  things  Taylor  had  done  as  a  lad.  He 
could  take  a  watch  to  pieces,  and  what  was 
more  wonderful,  he  could  put  it  together 
again.  What  marvelous  pictures  of  pranc¬ 
ing  steeds  Taylor  had  drawn  on  his  slate 
when  supposedly  he  had  been  busied  in  “do- 


52  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


ing  his  sums.”  Not  a  boy  in  school  could 
bat  as  he  did.  He  knew  where  were  the  best 
“ holes”  in  all  the  near-by  streams.  Well  did 
Erwin  recall  the  first  day  he  had  ever  gone 
fishing  with  his  friend.  What  exclamations 
of  surprise  had  greeted  them  when  they  had 
returned  with  their  catch.  The  willow 
stringers,  which  Taylor  had  cut  and  fash¬ 
ioned,  were  filled  to  their  tops  with  the 
horned  dace,  pumpkin-seed,  and  rock  bass 
they  had  taken.  And  yet,  though  Erwin  had 
shared  in  the  joy  of  the  day  as  well  as  in  the 
glory  that  had  been  won,  he  still  was  aware 
that  Taylor  had  been  the  real,  if  not  the  ap¬ 
parent,  power  behind  it  all.  Even  when  he 
had  dropped  his  hook  and  line  beside  Tay¬ 
lor’s  in  the  ‘ 4 hole”  which  his  friend  pointed 
out,  and  to  which  the  boys  cautiously  ap¬ 
proached,  somehow  the  very  fish  seemed  to 
prefer  Taylor’s  bait  to  his.  It  was  true  that 
his  own  catch  had  not  been  small  except  in 
comparison  with  his  friend’s,  which  was  so 
much  larger. 

Something  of  the  old  feeling  of  admiration 
for  the  prowess  and  skill  of  his  friend  now 
returned  to  Erwin  as  he  stood  looking  down 


UNCLE  SAM 


53 


upon  the  “tailor”  busily  engaged  in  repair¬ 
ing  the  young  lieutenant’s  coat. 

“Do  you  intend  to  try  to-night!”  inquired 
Erwin  at  last. 

“You  never  can  tell.” 

“You’ll  get  away.  I’m  sure  you  will.” 

“Let  us  hope  so,”  responded  Taylor  with¬ 
out  looking  up  from  his  task. 

“Can’t  you  think  of  some  way  for  me  to 
try  too!” 

“None  better  than  this.” 

“I  can’t  sew.  I  didn’t  know  you  could, 
but  I’m  not  a  bit  surprised  to  see  you  do  it. 
If  you  were  ordered  to  lead  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  I  think  you  would  do  it  better  than 
General  McClellan.” 

“That’s  not  much  of  a  compliment — at 
least  if  what  the  people  all  say  is  true.” 

“What  can  I  do!  Black  up  as  a  darkey 
and  go  along  as  your  body  servant!” 

“No.” 

“What  then!” 

“Do  what  I’m  doing  now.” 

“If  getting  out  of  Sorghum  depends  on 
my  sewing  I’m  afraid  I’ll  be  here  for  five 
years  if  the  war  lasts  that  long.  From  what 


54  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


we  hear,  it’s  likely  to  keep  on  till  the  day 
of  judgment,”  Erwin  added  dejectedly. 

“I  tell  yon  we  are  going  to  get  out  of 
this.” 

“You  are,  you  mean.  I  don’t  see  any 
chance  for  me  to  go.  I  am  glad  you’ll  try  it. 
If  you  do  break  away  and  if  you  should  get 
back  to  the  old  home — just  tell  my — ”  Erwin 
stopped  abruptly  and  quickly  turned  away 
his  face.  The  mere  suggestion  of  going  home 
was  hard  in  the  face  of  the  conditions  which 
surrounded  him  at  the  present  moment. 

“Here  comes  Uncle  Sam.  Look  out!” 
cautioned  Taylor,  raising  his  head  for  a  mo¬ 
ment  to  speak  to  his  friend.  Near  them  was 
the  lank  form  of  their  fellow  townsman  ap¬ 
proaching  the  place. 

“What  are  you  doing,  Taylor!”  demanded 
Samuel  Carson  as  he  stopped  before  the 
boys. 

“Embroidering  a  handkerchief,”  replied 
Taylor  soberly. 

“Whose  coat  is  that!” 

“It  belongs  to  a  distinguished  officer  of  the 
C.  S.  A.” 


“What  are  you  doing  with  it!” 


UNCLE  SAM 


55 


“ Fixing  it  over  for  Jeff  Davis.” 

‘  ‘  What  are  you  doing  anyway  ! ’ ’  continued 
Samuel,  bending  low  over  the  garment  in 
Taylor’s  hands. 

“If  I  tell  you,  Uncle  Sam,  will  you  promise 
never  to  tell  a  living  soul  !  ’  ’  inquired  Taylor, 
dropping  the  coat  and  rising  before  the  new¬ 
comer. 

The  serious  manner  of  the  young  tailor 
was  so  impressive  that  Samuel’s  interest  was 
instantly  quickened.  He  readily  gave  his 
promise. 

“  ‘ Cross  your  heart!’  ‘Hope  to  die!’  ” 
demanded  Taylor  in  a  low,  deep  voice. 

“Yes,  yes.” 

“Well,  then,  I’ll  tell  you.  I  am  fixing  over 
this  coat  to  make  it  fit  a  human  being.”  Tay¬ 
lor’s  voice  dropped  into  a  most  impressive 
whisper.  “Yes,  Uncle  Sam,  this  coat  will 
cover  a  beating  heart,  the  lungs  and  liver  of 
a  male  man  of  the  masculine  gender.  Now 
you’ve  given  me  your  word  of  honor  never  to 
tell  and  I  shall  trust  you.” 

Swinging  the  coat  over  his  arm,  Taylor  at 
once  departed,  whistling  as  he  went  the  tune : 
“When  Johnnie  comes  marching  home 


56  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


again.’ ’  Ilis  abrupt  departure  was  as  sur¬ 
prising  to  Erwin  as  it  was  to  his  visitor,  and 
for  a  moment  neither  spoke  as  they  both 
watched  their  departing  friend. 

“What  was  Taylor  doing  with  that  coat 
anyway,  Erwin?”  inquired  Samuel  as  he 
seated  himself  upon  the  ground. 

“Pie  told  you,”  replied  Erwin  shortly. 
The  presence  of  Uncle  Sam  at  the  moment 
was  as  disconcerting  as  the  unexpected  de¬ 
parture  of  Taylor  with  the  coat  had  been. 
What  were  Taylor’s  plans?  thought  Erwin. 
Had  he  abandoned  the  project  of  trying  to 
pass  the  lines?  Perhaps  he  had  concluded 
that  the  venture  was  too  full  of  peril  to  be 
attempted.  The  thought  did  not  tend  to  rec¬ 
oncile  Erwin  to  the  presence  of  Samuel,  for 
whom  he  did  not  cherish  too  warm  a  regard 
at  best.  Samuel’s  evident  purpose,  too,  to‘ 
remain  for  a  time  did  not  aid  in  soothing  the 
young  prisoner’s  feelings.  He  heartily 
wished  Uncle  Sam  were  somewhere  else  than 
where  he  then  was. 

“That  was  one  of  Taylor’s  jokes,”  said 
Samuel,  soberly,  at  last. 

“Was  it?” 

% 


UNCLE  SAM 


57 


1  ‘Yes,  it  was.  He  was  fixing  that  coat  for 
Lieutenant  Evans.’ ’ 

“Was  he?”  inquired  Erwin,  startled  as 
well  as  surprised  by  Samuel’s  knowledge. 

He  was  aware,  too,  that  his  visitor  was 
shrewdly  observing  him. 

“Yes,  he  was,”  declared  Samuel.  “He’s 
a  fool  for  his  pains.” 

“Who?” 

“Taylor.” 

“What  makes  you  say  that?” 

“Because  I  know.  Sometimes  I’ve  sus¬ 
pected  Taylor  of  scheming  to  get  out  of  the 
camp.  He’d  better  not  try  it,  that’s  all.” 

“What  do  you  mean?” 

“I  know  Taylor  Cooper.  I’ve  known  him 
ever  since — he  used  to  make  flytraps  for  me 
on  the  way  to  the  old  swimming  hole.  Don’t 
you  remember  how  he  used  to  tie  the  long 
grass  that  grew  each  side  of  the  path?  I 
tripped  and  fell  one  day  when  I  was  coming 
home.” 

“Did  it  hurt  you?”  inquired  Erwin, 
smiling  at  the  recollection  of  the  sight  of 
the  ungainly  Uncle  Sam  sprawling  in  the 
meadow. 


58  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“It  hurt  me,  inside,’ ’  said  Samuel  with  a 
scowl.  “That  wasn’t  all  he  did,  either.  He 
used  to  make  fun  of  me.  He  used  to  get 
me  to  stay  after  school  and  chase  balls  for 
him  when  you  and  he  played  two-old-cat. 
He  promised  to  pay  me  for  it,  but  he  never 
did.” 

“What  made  you  stay,  then?” 

“I  wanted  the  two  cents  a  game  he  said 
he’d  give  me.” 

“Probably  lie  forgot  all  about  it.” 

“I  didn’t  forget  it,  let  me  tell  you!  You 
remember  my  father,  Erwin?” 

“Yes.”  Who  could  ever  forget  Toby  Car- 
son,  the  father  of  Uncle  Sam?  A  twisted,  de¬ 
formed  body,  one  leg  withered  and  much 
shorter  than  the  other,  the  corpulent  body, 
the  face  bloated  and  leery  from  too  frequent 
visits  to  the  bar-room  of  the  local  hotel — all 
these  were  still  vivid  in  the  mind  of  Erwin. 
The  two  canes  by  whose  aid  Toby  crawled 
along  the  village  street,  much  as  a  wounded 
crab  might  have  done,  were  still  clearly  seen 
in  his  mind.  Toby  was  the  village  harness 
maker,  and  his  deformity  would  have  aroused' 


UNCLE  SAM 


59 


the  pity  of  the  warm-hearted  villagers  had  it 
not  been  known  that  after  he  returned  home 
from  his  long  visits  in  the  bar-room  it  was 
reported  that  he  was  accustomed  to  use  his 
two  canes  in  beating  his  timid,  little,  over¬ 
worked  wife,  who  took  in  washing  and  vir¬ 
tually  supported  her  drunken,  worthless  hus¬ 
band,  as  well  as  her  only  child.  Yes,  Erwin 
could,  indeed,  remember  the  brutal  father  of 
the  young  man  now  seated  before  him. 

“One  winter  day,”  said  Samuel,  bitterly, 
“the  little  hill  in  front  of  the  post  office  was  a 
glare  of  ice.  It  had  rained  and  then  froze  a 
half  dozen  times.  My  father  came  out  of  the 
office  that  morning  and  started  down  the 
street.  He  had  to  use  two  canes,  you  know. 
Well,  he  began  to  slip  on  the  ice  and  the  more 
he  tried  to  stop  or  help  himself  the  worse  off 
he  was.  He  called  for  help !  He  yelled  for  it. 
He  shouted !  His  canes  were  beating  the  air 
like  a  windmill.  By  and  by  he  fell — you 
know  he  was  a  heavy  man,  and  he  sat  down 
hard.  One  of  the  canes  flew  out  of  his  hands. 
He  just  slid  all  the  way  down  that  icy  hill 
in  front  of  the  post  office.  He  went  all  the 


60  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


way  to  the  bottom  and  not  a  soul  came  to  help 
him.  What  do  you  think  Taylor  Cooper 
did?” 

“What  did  he  do?”  inquired  Erwin,  striv¬ 
ing  to  repress  the  smile  which  arose  at  the 
recollection  of  the  scene  which  he  well  re¬ 
membered.  He  was  there  himself. 

‘  ‘  Taylor  and  another  fellow — I  think  it  was 
you,”  added  Samuel  malignantly,  “were 
right  there  at  the  foot  of  the  hill.  There 
was  my  father  coming  right  toward  them  slid¬ 
ing  on  his  back.  He  was  shouting  and  call¬ 
ing  for  help  at  the  top  of  his  lungs.  Did 
Taylor  or  the  other  fellow  help  him?  Not  a 
bit !  They  just  leaned  over  the  fence  there  in 
front  of  Jake  Witter ’s  place  and  laughed. 
It  wasn’t  any  mild  little  laugh,  either.  They 
yelled,  they  screamed  as  if  they  enjoyed  the 
sight.  ’ 9 

“Yes,  they  did,”  assented  Erwin  with  a 
laugh  that  plainly  increased  the  rage  of  his 
visitor.  “  It  was  a  funny  sight.  But  we  felt 
sorry  for  the  poor  man  and  just  as  soon  as 
we  got  our  breath  we  started  to  lift  him  from 
the  ice.  Just  then  your  mother  came  run¬ 
ning  to  help  him  and  what  do  you  suppose 


UNCLE  SAM 


61 


your  father  did!  He  struck  her  with  his 
cane  because  she  hadn’t  come  sooner!  Tay¬ 
lor  and  I  were  so  disgusted  we  left.  I 
wouldn’t  help  a  brute  like  that  to — ” 

“ Never  you  mind.  I  haven’t  forgotten 
it,”  broke  in  Samuel  savagely.  “My  turn 
will  come  some  day.  You  won’t  laugh  then, 
let  me  tell  you!”  Turning  abruptly  away 
Samuel  at  once  departed. 

His  threat  had  not  seriously  disturbed  Er¬ 
win,  who  had  slight  fear  of  Uncle  Sam.  The 
reference  to  the  fall  of  Toby — “Uncle  Toby” 
he  was  called  in  the  village — had  amused 
him.  He  would  tell  Taylor  about  the  visit, 
he  said  to  himself.  Just  then  Erwin  per¬ 
ceived  his  friend  approaching  and  the  strange 
expression  of  his  face  instantly  drove  away 
all  these  thoughts. 


CHAPTER  V 


A  SCHEME 

“What  is  it,  Taylor !”  inquired  Erwin  as 
his  friend  drew  near  and  cast  upon  the 
ground  two  coats  which  he  had  brought. 

“Can’t  you  see!” 

“I  can’t  say  that  I  can,”  replied  Erwin 
dubiously,  glancing  first  at  the  garments  and 
then  at  his  friend. 

“I’m  going  into  the  tailoring  business.” 

“Whose  coats  are  they!” 

“I  don’t  know.  Lieutenant  Evans  told 
me  to  take  them  and  fix  them  up.” 

“He  must  think  you  are  an  expert.” 

“I  don’t  care  what  he  thinks  if  he  only 
gives  me  the  coats.” 

“There  are  two  of  them.  Is  one  of  them 
for  me!” 

“No.” 

“I  don’t  see — ” 

“You  will,”  interrupted  Taylor.  “I’m 

62 


A  SCHEME 


63 


getting  a  name  in  the  business,  as  I  told  you. 
We’ll  fix  these  coats  and  then  we’ll  have 
more.” 

4 ‘ Don’t  you  intend  to  use  these?”  inquired 
Erwin  in  a  low  voice. 

“No.” 

“I  thought  you  said  you  did.” 

“I’m  going  to  use  coats — but  not  these. 
It’s  too  early  in  the  game  to  try  anything  yet. 
Wait  a  day  or  two,  or  perhaps  a  little  longer, 
and  then  we’ll  he  ready.  You  see,  I’ve  got 
two  coats  here  and  my  plan  is  to  send  them 
both  back  in  such  a  state  of  perfection  that 
others  will  want  me  to  do  the  same  thing  for 
theirs.  We’ll  have  coats  to  fix  all  the  time. 
Then  when  the  right  time  comes  we’ll  put 
them  on  and  walk  right  out  of  the  camp.  We 
must  find  a  coat  that  will  be  long  enough  for 
me,  and  one,  too,  that  will  not  make  you  look 
more  like  a  scarecrow  than  you  do  now.  But 
we  must  find  the  right  time  as  well  as  the 
right  coats.” 

“Wliat’ll  you  do  for  caps?  We  can’t  walk 
out  bareheaded.” 

“I’ve  thought  of  that.  I’m  watching  all 
the  time.  Perhaps  I’ll  find  what  we  want. 


64  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


If  we  don’t,  we’ll  have  to  do  the  best  we 
can  without  them.” 

“What  will  happen  to  us  if  we  are 
caught  ?  ’  ’ 

“We  mustn’t  be.” 

“But  if  we  are?” 

“We’ll  have  to  take  what  comes.  Don’t 
you  think  it’s  worth  trying?” 

“Yes,  I  do,”  responded  Erwin  eagerly. 
“I’m  ready  to  try  almost  anything.  Still, 
Anthony  Wood — ” 

“What  of  him?” 

“He  didn’t  get  very  far  away,  poor 
chap.  ’  ’ 

“No.  But  he  didn’t  use  his  head.  You 
and  I  would  have  the  same  thing  happen  to 
us  if  in  broad  daylight  we  walked  straight 
across  the  dead  line.” 

“You  don’t  intend  to  try  our  plan  except 
in  the  evening?” 

“I  don’t  intend  to  try  it  then.” 

‘  ‘  When  ?  ’  ’ 

“At  the  right  time,  whether  it’s  day  or 
night.  ’  ’ 

“Uncle  Sam  has  just  gone  away.” 

“What  did  he  have  to  say  for  himself?” 


A  SCHEME 


65 


‘  ‘He  told  me  how  he  intended  to  get  even 
with  you  and  me.” 

“For  what?” 

Thus  bidden,  Erwin  related  the  conversa¬ 
tion  he  had  had  with  Samuel,  not  omitting  the 
references  which  had  been  made  to  the  fall 
of  Uncle  Toby.  “I  didn’t  think  Uncle  Sam 

would  hold  a  grudge  so  long,”  added  Erwin. 

» 

“And  in  Camp  Sorghum,  of  all  places!  One 
naturally  would  think  he ’d  be  ready  to  let  by¬ 
gones  be  bygones  when  we  are  all  in  the 
trouble  we’re  all  in  here.” 

“No,”  said  Taylor  thoughtfully.  “I 
know  Uncle  Sam  too  well.  He  hasn’t  4 all  his 
buttons’  anyway.  How  could  he,  having 
such  a  father  as  Uncle  Toby?  I’m  afraid 
he’ll  make  trouble  for  us.” 

“How  can  he  do  that?” 

“In  a  good  many  ways.  He’s  vindictive 
and  not  very  bright  at  best.  He  ought  not  to 
have  been  allowed  to  enlist  anyway.” 

“Here  he  comes  now,”  exclaimed  Erwin 
as  the  lanky  Samuel  was  seen  returning  to 
the  “quarters”  of  the  young  prisoners. 

“What’s  on  your  mind,  Uncle  Sam?”  in¬ 
quired  Taylor  as  Samuel  approached. 


66  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“I’ve  been  watching  you,  Taylor  Cooper,” 
said  Samuel  abruptly. 

“That’s  the  best  tiling  you  have  been  do¬ 
ing  in  a  long  time,”  retorted  Taylor,  glanc¬ 
ing  warningly  at  Erwin  as  he  spoke. 

“Is  it  ?  That  remains  to  be  seen.” 

“What  have  I  been  doing  that  invites  the 
special  interest  of  Uncle  Sam?”  inquired 
Taylor  soothingly. 

“You’ve  been  fixing  coats  for  the  rebels.” 

“Yes.  At  least  I’ve  fixed  one  and  have 
two  more  to  fix.” 

“I  know  what  for.” 

“Do  you?  Perhaps  that’s  more  than  I 
know.  Kindly  explain  yourself,  my  learned 
friend.” 

“You’ve  got  some  trick  in  your  mind.  I 
know  you  too  well  not  to  understand  what 
you’re  doing.  You’ve  got  some  scheme  to 
get  away.” 

“You’re  a  wise  lad,  Uncle  Sam,”  said  Tay¬ 
lor,  trying  to  laugh  in  a  manner  that  would 
quiet  his  alarming  visitor.  He  glanced  at 
Erwin,  who  was  gazing  at  Samuel  in  such  a 
fierce  manner  that  Taylor  was  more  anxious 
lest  his  friend  should  reveal  their  secret  than 


A  SCHEME 


67 


he  was  because  of  the  startling  suspicion 
which  Samuel  had  voiced. 

“I  may  be  wise  or  not,”  retorted  Samuel. 
“Anyway  I’m  not  such  a  fool  as  you  and 
Erwin  think  I  am.  Now,  then,  when  you  go¬ 
ing  to  try  it?” 

“Try  what?” 

‘  ‘  To  get  out  of  the  camp  ?  ’  ’ 

“Uncle  Sam,  have  you  forgotten  Anthony 
Wood?”  demanded  Taylor  solemnly. 

“No,  I  haven’t  forgotten  Anthony  Wood!” 
snapped  Samuel.  “And  I  haven’t  forgotten 
Taylor  Cooper,  either!  And  don’t  you  for¬ 
get  Samuel  Carson!” 

“We  can’t  forget  you,”  laughed  Taylor. 
“You  won’t  let  us.” 

“That’s  it.  I  shan’t  let  you.  Now,  what 
are  you  up  to?” 

“I  thought  you  were  going  to  tell  me.  You 
said  you  knew,  and  for  my  part  I  can’t  think 
of  anything  I’d  rather  hear  than  a  good 
scheme  for  getting  out  of  this  forlorn  place. 
I’ve  had  all  I  want  of  Camp  Sorghum, 
haven’t  you?” 

“A  good  deal  more  than  I  want.” 

“What’s  the  plan  for  getting  away?” 


68  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“I  don’t  know  any  plan,  but  you  do.” 

“Tell  me  what  it  is.” 

“I  can’t.” 

‘  ‘  Then  how  can  you  expect  me  to  tell  you ?  ’  ’ 

“Because  if  you  don’t  tell  me  I’ll  go 
straight  to  Evans  and  tell  him  that  you  two 
fellows  are  working  up  a  plan  to  get  out  of 
camp.  ’  ’ 

“You  don’t  dare  do  that!”  spoke  up  Er¬ 
win  excitedly. 

‘  ‘  Oh,  yes,  he  does,  ’  ’  said  Taylor  quickly  be¬ 
stowing  a  glance  of  warning  upon  his  friend 
as  he  spoke.  “Everybody  that  knows  Uncle 
Sam  is  perfectly  aware  that  he  dares  do  al¬ 
most  anything.  He  isn’t  a  coward,  what¬ 
ever  else  he  may  be.” 

“You’re  right,  I’m  not,”  responded  Sam¬ 
uel.  “I’m  not  afraid  to  march  right  up  to 
the  lieutenant  and  tell  him  two  of  the  prison¬ 
ers  here  are  making  plans  to  break  away.  ’  ’ 

“But  how  do  you  know  they  are?”  said 
Taylor  quietly. 

“I  know  them,  and  that’s  enough.  I’m 
perfectly  sure  that  Taylor  Cooper  isn’t  the 
kind  of  a  chap  to  mend  the  Johnnies’  coats 
for  them  just  for  the  fun  of  it.” 


A  SCHEME 


69 


“You’re  a  wise  lad,  Uncle  Sam.  Now, 
then,  suppose  you  do  tell  Lieutenant  Evans 
that  we  ’re  doing  what  you  say  we  are.  What 
good  will  it  do  you!” 

“It’ll  fix  me  all  right  with  him  anyway.” 

“And  then  if  we  tell  our  hoys  what  you 
have  done  what  do  you  think  will  happen  to 
you !  They  won ’t  be  very  gentle  if  they  hear 
that  one  of  our  men  has  gone  to  the  officers 
here  with  such  a  story  as  that.  Uncle  Sam, 
I  wouldn’t  give  a  pinch  of  snuff  for  your 
chances  in  camp  if  you  should  be  so  foolish 
as  to  do  such  a  thing  as  that.” 

“I  don’t  care.  I’d  do  it  anyway,”  de¬ 
clared  Samuel  menacingly. 

“Suppose  we  do  have  a  plan  in  mind? 
What  then  ?  ’  ’ 

“If  you’ll  tell  me  what  it  is  and  let  me  go 
with  you  I  won’t  say  a  word.  I’m  as  anxious 
to  get  away  as  you  are.” 

“Do  you  really  mean  it?” 

“Every  word.” 

“Sure  you  can  keep  a  secret,  Uncle  Sam?” 

“You  just  try  me,”  said  Samuel  eagerly. 

“All  right.  Come  back  to-morrow  morn¬ 
ing  and  I’ll  see  what  can  be  done  for  you.” 


70  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Tell  me  now.” 

“I  can’t.  Haven’t  got  the  plan  all  fixed 
in  my  own  mind  yet.” 

“What  time  to-morrow ?” 

“Any  time  after  you’ve  cooked  your  break¬ 
fast.” 

“Sure  you’ll  tell  me  then?” 

“As  sure  as  you  find  me  sitting  right  here 
mending  this  coat,”  replied  Taylor  holding 
the  garment  up  to  view  as  he  spoke. 

“I’ll  do  it!  I’ll  be  here!”  exclaimed  Sam¬ 
uel  as  he  turned  away. 

For  a  moment  Erwin  stared  blankly  at  his 
friend  when  their  visitor  had  departed.  Why 
had  Taylor  acknowledged  that  he  had  some 
plan  of  escape  in  mind?  Above  all,  how  had 
the  slow-witted  Samuel  suspected?  “I’m 
afraid  the  game  is  up,”  he  said  bitterly. 

“You’re  too  easily  frightened,  Erwin.” 

“But  if  Uncle  Sam  does  what  he  threat¬ 
ens — ” 

“He  won’t!  He  can’t!” 

“Why  not?” 

“Because  we  must  try  it  before  he  has  a 
chance.  ’  ’ 

“When?” 


A  SCHEME 


71 


“To-day.  To-night.  I  wanted  to  wait  a 
little  longer  until  I  had  made  certain  no  sus¬ 
picions  had  been  aroused  by  my  tailoring. 
We  can’t  wait,  though.  The  poor  fool  will 
keep  quiet  till  to-morrow,  but  after  that  we 
can’t  depend  on  him  in  the  least.” 

“If  such  a  fellow  as  Uncle  Sam  has  found 
us  out  already,  what  chance  do  we  stand  with 
the  guard!”  inquired  Erwin  gloomily. 

“I  don’t  think  you  need  fear.  Uncle  Sam 
used  to  beat  us  all  when  we  were  collecting 
birds’  eggs.  Don’t  you  remember!  We  all 
knew  he  was  the  biggest  fool  in  the  village — 
that  is,  the  biggest,  except  his  father,  Uncle 
Toby.  And  yet  he ’d  find  a  nest  that  none  of 
the  rest  of  us  would  ever  see.  Maybe  it’s  the 
same  way  here.  Erwin,  you’d  better  take  a 
needle  and  thread  and  pretend  to  be  sewing 
on  this  coat  while  I’m  gone.” 

“Where  are  you  going!”  inquired  Erwin 
hastily  as  his  friend  arose. 

“I’ll  be  back  in  a  few  minutes,”  replied 
Taylor,  ignoring  the  question. 

Erwin  obediently  did  as  he  had  been  bid¬ 
den.  Seating  himself  upon  the  ground  he 
drew  the  needle  and  thread  through  the  cloth, 


72  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


apparently  so  engrossed  in  his  task  that  he 
did  not  even  look  up  when  some  of  his  fel¬ 
low  prisoners  occasionally  passed  the  place 
where  he  was  seated. 

An  hour  later  Taylor  returned  and  cau¬ 
tiously  displayed  a  cap  he  had  secured. 

“ Where  did  you  get  it!”  asked  Erwin. 
“Got  more  than  one?” 

“No,  only  one.  I  borrowed  that.” 

“Borrowed  it?  Where?” 

“In  Lieutenant  Evans’s  tent.  I  went  back 
to  get  more  thread,  and  when  I  saw  the  cap 
— why,  I  just  borrowed  it.  Now,  then,  listen, 
Erwin.  I  may  not  have  a  chance  to  explain 
again,  or  at  least  to  say  all  I  want  to  say  to 
you.  I  think  to-night  is  the  very  time  to  try 
our  scheme.  It  is  cloudy,  and  yet  I  don’t 
believe  it’s  going  to  rain.  If  it  does  I’m 
afraid  our  chance  is  gone.” 

“Why?” 

“In  the  dark  the  guard  will  make  sure 
who’s  passing — that  is,  he  will  if  it’s  real 
dark.  I  want  just  light  enough  to  let  him  see 
that  we’re  two  men  dressed  in  the  Johnnies’ 
gray.  Perhaps  we  would  do  better  not  to  be 
together  all  the  time  this  afternoon.  I’ll  go 


A  SCHEME 


73 


to  the  other  side  of  the  pen  for  awhile.  When 
it’s  dinner  time  I’ll  come  back  and  help  you 
cook  our  rice.  If  you  have  a  chance  put 
some  of  it,  too,  in  your  pocket.  We  may 
want  it.  When  the  sun  has  set,  or  pretty 
soon  after  that,  we’ll  start.  My  plan  is  for 
each  of  us  to  roll  up  one  of  these  coats  and 
carry  it  under  his  arm.  We’ll  go  as  near  to 
the  guard  on  the  north  side  of  the  pen  as  we 
can,  and  then  we’ll  slip  on  the  coats.  I’ll 
take  the  long  one  and  I’ll  take  the  cap,  too. 
Then,  we’ll  just  saunter  toward  the  guard 
and  watch  our  chances.  I  think  our  coats 
will  pass  us.  If  they  don’t,  why,  they  don’t, 
that’s  all.  In  that  case  the  guard’ll  probably 
stop  us,  and  very  likely  we’ll  be  shut  up  in 
the  guardhouse  to  a  diet  of  water  and  mouldy 
bread  for  awhile.  We  haven’t  much  to  lose 
and  we  have  everything  to  gain.  But  we’ll 
make  it,  Erwin,  we’ll  make  it!” 


CHAPTER  VI 


NEAR  THE  FIRES 

In  the  long  afternoon,  which  slowly  passed, 
Erwin  endeavored  to  regain  control  of  him¬ 
self.  The  bidding  of  Taylor  for  him  to  lie 
down  and  obtain  the  rest  which  would  help 
him  in  the  trying  experiences  that  might  soon 
come  was  ignored.  Indeed,  Erwin  marveled 
at  his  friend  when  the  latter  stretched  him¬ 
self  on  the  sole  blanket  the  two  prisoners 
possessed  and  instantly  fell  asleep. 

It  was  almost  time  for  the  prisoners  to  pre¬ 
pare  their  rice  for  dinner  when  Taylor  at 
last  awoke.  Even  then  he  lay  motionless  for 
a  time  watching  his  friend,  who  was  standing 
near  him. 

“Come  on,  Taylor, ”  called  Erwin,  unable 
to  endure  the  suspense  longer.  “We  must 
look  after  our  rice  or  the  mess  will  not  leave 
a  scrap  for  us.” 

The  young  prisoner  arose  at  the  summons 
and  in  a  brief  time  announced  his  readiness 

74 


NEAR  THE  FIRES 


75 


to  accompany  liis  friend.  When  the  mess 
assembled  and  the  food  had  been  prepared, 
each  of  the  two  boys  stealthily  hid  a  part  of 
his  portion  in  the  pocket  of  his  tattered  coat. 

“I’m  coming  to  see  you  early  to-morrow 
morning,’ ’  whispered  Samuel,  who  also  be¬ 
longed  to  the  same  mess.  Taylor  and  Erwin 
had  turned  away  from  the  cooking  place 
about  to  start  for  their  own  quarters,  but 
both  stopped  when  Uncle  Sam  approached. 

“Do  so.  Don’t  forget,”  said  Taylor 
lightly. 

“I’m  not  likely  to  forget.  Maybe  I’ll  go 
.  back  with  you  now.  Have  you  thought  out 
your  plan  yet?” 

“No.  I  must  have  solitude  and  reflection. 
You  are  aware  of  my  meaning,  are  you  not?” 
inquired  Taylor  soberly. 

“I  guess  you  mean  you  don’t  want  me 
around.” 

‘  ‘  I  have  always  said  you  were  a  wise  chap, 
Uncle  Sam.” 

“I  know  a  thing  or  two,  and  some  things 
besides,”  said  Samuel.  “I  don’t  intend  to 
let  you  fellows  fool  me.  I’m  a  partner  or 
I’m  an — ” 


76  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“You  are,  you  certainly  are,”  laughed  Tay¬ 
lor,  as  Samuel  hesitated. 

“You’ll  find  out  all  right.” 

Samuel  was  walking  beside  his  compan¬ 
ions,  doubtless  aware  that  his  presence  was 
not  desired  and  all  the  more  eager  to  remain 
because  of  that  fact.  When  his  two  friends 
continued  on  their  way  without  manifesting 
any  intention  of  stopping  at  their  own  “quar¬ 
ters,”  Samuel’s  purpose  faltered. 

“Where  you  going?”  he  demanded 
sharply. 

“We  haven’t  started  for  Yankeeland  yet,” 
explained  Erwin. 

“I  guess  I  know  that.  But  where  are 
you  going?” 

“Going  with  you.” 

“I’m  not  going  anywhere.” 

“Same  place  we’re  bound  for.” 

“You  trying  to  get  rid  of  me?” 

“Who  suggested  such  an  idea  as  that  to 
you,  Uncle  Sam?” 

“I  thought  of  it  myself.” 

“No!  Did  you?” 

“I’m  not  going  to  tramp  around  this  place 
all  night,”  declared  Samuel  abruptly  as  he 


NEAR  THE  FIRES 


77 


halted.  “It ’ll  be  dark  soon.  I’ve  got  all  I 
want  to  do  without  wandering  around  the 
pen.  I’ll  see  you  in  the  morning.’ ’ 

“Look  here,  Uncle  Sam,”  called  Taylor 
sharply  in  a  low  voice,  as  Samuel  turned 
away.  “Suppose  we  haven’t  any  scheme? 
Suppose  I  can’t  think  of  any  plan!  What 
are  you  going  to  do  then?” 

“Just  what  I  told  you.  I  know  you,  Tay¬ 
lor  Cooper!  I  know  you  don’t  fix  coats  just 
for  fun.  You’ve  got  some  scheme  or  other 
in  your  head.  I  want  to  know  what  it  is. 
And  you  promised  to  tell  me  what  it  is, 
too.” 

“Nay,  Uncle  Sam.  I  promised  to  tell  you 
if  I  could  find  one,  to-morrow  morning.  You 
must  help.  You  must  find  one,  too.  You 
know  what  happened  to  Anthony  Wood.  We 
must  think  of  something  that  will  be  safe  and 
sure.  I  want  to  get  away  from  here  as  much 
as  you  do.  But  I  don’t  want  to  leave  camp 
the  way  poor  Anthony  did.  ’  ’ 

Samuel  made  no  response  and  continued 
on  his  way.  “There!  He’s  gone  at  last,” 
exclaimed  Taylor.  “I  began  to  be  afraid 
he’d  spoil  everything.” 


78  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“So  was  I.  Isn’t  it  dark  enough  now  to 
try  it!” 

“Yes.” 

“Let’s  do  it,  then,”  said  Erwin,  his  voice 
trembling  slightly. 

“Very  well.  Erwin,  do  you  realize  what 
it  means?” 

“Yes.” 

“We  may  not  get  through.  You  under¬ 
stand  that — and  what  may  happen  to  us  if 
we  don’t?” 

“I  do,”  whispered  Erwin. 

“And  you’re  ready  to  take  the  chances?” 

“I  am.  I  want  to  try  it.  I  can’t  stand 
it  here  another  day.” 

“You  can  if  you  have  to.  Come  on,  we’ll 
go  back  to  get  our  coats.  I  think  we’d  bet¬ 
ter  keep  together.  I’ve  been  thinking  of  Un¬ 
cle  Sam’s  finding  the  nests  when  we  were  lit¬ 
tle  fellows  at  home.  I  believe  his  plan  is 
best.” 

‘  ‘  What  plan  ?  How  is  it  best  ?  I  don ’t  un¬ 
derstand.  ’  ’ 

“Why,  the  simplest  way  will  be  the  safest. 
We  must  walk  straight  to  the  guard  and  not 
act  as  if  we  were  dodging.  If  there’s  any 


NEAR  TEE  FIRES 


79 


talking  to  be  done  you’d  better  let  me  do  it. 
Our  first  point  of  danger  will  be  when  we 
cross  the  dead  line.  If  we  stop  or  act  nerv¬ 
ous  there  we  are  lost.  Follow  me  right  on. 
There !  ’  ’  Taylor  suddenly  exclaimed.  4  ‘  There 
go  the  fires !” 

For  a  moment  both  boys  stopped  and  gazed 
at  the  bonfires  that  had  just  been  kindled  at 
intervals  in  a  circle  about  the  prison  pen. 
Figures  of  men  could  be  seen  moving  about 
the  fires  or  passing  from  one  blaze  to  an¬ 
other.  Scores  of  Confederates  were  plainly 
to  be  seen  directing  the  work  and  looking  to 
the  means  that  were  expected  to  prevent  the 
escape  of  any  of  the  prisoners  from  the  great 
lot  on  which  the  pen  was  located. 

“The  boldest  course  is  best,”  said  Taylor 
quickly.  “Come  on.  This  is  the  time  for  us 
to  be  up  and  doing.”  Taylor  spoke  in  low 
tones  that  thrilled  his  companion.  Neither 
spoke  as  they  hastened  to  the  place  where 
the  coats  and  the  cap  had  been  left.  Hastily 
securing  them,  the  young  prisoners  looked 
cautiously  about  and  then  walked  briskly 
toward  the  outer  part  of  the  camp. 

Again  they  halted  and  when  they  were  con- 


80  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 

vinced  that  their  actions  could  not  be  seen 
by  others,  at  Taylor’s  suggestion  they  both 
donned  the  coats  of  the  officers,  placing  them 
over  their  own  ragged  garments.  Taylor 
also  placed  his  borrowed  cap  on  his  head  and 
hesitating  a  moment  he  inquired,  “How  is  it, 
Erwin?  Do  I  look  the  part?  Do  I  resemble 
Lieutenant  Evans?” 

“You’ll  find  out  in  a  minute,”  whispered 
Erwin.  “Don’t  stop  here  any  longer!  Go 
ahead!  I’ll  follow  you.” 

In  silence  the  two  boys  turned  toward  the 
line  of  guards.  Before  them  the  kindled  fires 
were  blazing.  Fires,  too,  were  to  be  seen 
inside  the  camp  at  occasional  places  where  a 
few  of  the  unfortunate  prisoners  were  able 
by  some  means  to  obtain  some  pieces  of 
wood. 

/ 

Taylor’s  confident  manner  as  he  led  the 
way  did  not  deceive  his  friend.  He  was  mak¬ 
ing  a  supreme  effort  to  be  calm  and  yet  every 
nerve  in  his  body  seemed  to  be  tingling  in  his 
excitement.  He  endeavored  to  keep  his  eyes 
fixed  on  the  line  of  fires  glowing  before  him, 
yet  continually  he  was  glancing  on  either 
side,  fearful  of  the  approach  of  a  guard  or 


NEAR  THE  FIRES 


81 


dreading  to  hear  the  shout  of  warning,  or 
worse  still,  the  report  of  a  rifle  discharged 
by  unseen  hands. 

Suddenly  Taylor  stopped  abruptly  and 
clutched  the  arm  of  his  friend.  Directly  be¬ 
fore  them  Erwin  could  see  a  man  approach¬ 
ing,  and  in  the  dim  light  he  was  convinced 
that  it  was  Lieutenant  Evans  whose  coat 
Taylor  was  wearing.  Erwin’s  first  impulse 
was  to  run  from  the  place,  but  his  friend’s 
grasp  prevented  him,  and  in  a  moment  the 
young  prisoners  were  face  to  face  with  the 
lieutenant. 

4 ‘ We’ve  brought  your  coats,”  called  Tay¬ 
lor,  as  Lieutenant  Evans  stopped. 

“That’s  kind  of  you,”  laughed  the  young 
officer  as  he  recognized  Taylor.  “Who  is 
that  with  you  ?  ”  he  added. 

“My  apprentice.  He’s  learning  how  to 
sew,  but  I’m  afraid  he’ll  never  amount  to 
much  as  a  tailor.  I  let  him  work  on  Lieu¬ 
tenant  Kelber’s  coat.  Yours  I  fixed  my¬ 
self.  ’  ’ 

“That’s  good  of  you,”  said  the  lieutenant, 
laughing  again.  “No,  no.  Don’t  take  it 
off,”  he  added  kindly  as  Taylor  began  to  di- 


82  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


vest  himself  of  the  garment.  ‘ 4  Keep  it  on. 
It’s  cold  to-night,  and  you  need  it  more  than 
I  do.  Bring  it  to  me  in  the  morning.  If  it 
was  in  my  power,  sir,  I’d  be  glad  to  let  you 
keep  it,  though  you-all  might  not  enjoy  wear¬ 
ing  a  Confederate  officer’s  uniform  in  the 
daytime.  ’  ’ 

‘  1  It  makes  me  hot,  even  now,  ’  ’  replied  Tay¬ 
lor  dryly. 

“That’s  good,  sir.” 

“Where  did  you  say  Lieutenant  Kelber 
is?”  Taylor  inquired. 

“I  don’t  think  I  said,  sir.  He’s  outside 
attending  to  the  fires.  He’ll  be  back  di¬ 
rectly.  ’  ’ 

“Well,  we’ll  give  him  his  coat  anyway. 
He  may  not  feel  about  it  as  you  do.” 

“No,  sir.  I’m  afraid  he  won’t.  If  he 
knew  a  Yank  had  had  it  on  his  back  he’d 
want  the  garment  fumigated.” 

“I  shouldn’t  blame  him  if  the  Yank  had 
been  shut  up  in  this  prison  pen  very  long. 
Any  word  of  our  being  transferred?” 

“Not  a  word,  sir.” 

The  good-natured  lieutenant  departed,  ap¬ 
parently  not  a  suspicion  of  the  purpose 


NEAR  THE  FIRES 


83 


of  the  two  prisoners  having  entered  his 
mind. 

“That  was  a  close  call,  Taylor/ ’  whispered 
Erwin,  as  the  two  boys  continued  on  their 
way  toward  the  border  of  the  camp. 

“Yes  and  no.  I  told  you  the  boldest  way 
was  the  safest.’ ’ 

Erwin  made  no  response.  They  were 
drawing  near  the  guard  now  and  had  crossed 
the  dead  line.  Apparently  either  their  bold¬ 
ness  or  the  dim  light  of  the  cloudy  night  shel¬ 
tered  them,  for  not  a  hail  was  given  them. 
Erwin  was  bolder  now  in  the  face  of  the  deep¬ 
ening  peril.  The  supreme  test  was  at  hand. 
The  picket  guard  was  to  be  seen  on  his  duty, 
marching  back  and  forth  on  his  beat  before 
them. 

6  ‘  Guard,  which  way  did  Lieutenant  Kelber 
go!”  inquired  Taylor,  advancing  a  few  steps 
until  he  could  be  seen  but  without  being 
recognized,  as  he  was  trusting.  The  young 
prisoner  was  relying  upon  his  “uniform”  to 
protect  him  now. 

The  soldier  on  duty  halted  and  peered  at 
Taylor.  Hesitating  a  moment  he  said,  ‘  ‘  He ’s 
out  yonder,  sub.  Who  sent  you!” 


84  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Lieutenant  Evans  told  us  he  was  here.” 
Taylor  was  drawling  his  words  in  his  attempt 
to  appear  indifferent  as  well  as  to  imitate  the 
dialect  of  the  Southern  soldiers.  “We  might 
wait  heah  till  he  returns,”  he  added 

“You-all  will  find  him  somewhar  in  th’  fiah 
line,”  suggested  the  guard,  apparently  satis¬ 
fied  with  his  inspection. 

“I’m  so  doggone  tired,”  said  Taylor  with 
a  yawn,  “I  believe  I’ll  go  back  an’  wait  fo’ 
him.  You  recken  he’ll  come  back  this  heah 
way f ’  ’ 

“I  dunno.  Yo’  bettah  stir  yo ’selves  an’ 
find  him.” 

‘ 1 1  reckon  we  had,  ’  ’  admitted  Taylor.  ‘ 6  If 
he  comes  back  this  way,  would  yo’  mind  tel- 
lin’  him  Lieutenant  Evans  would  be  grati¬ 
fied  if  he  would  come  to  see  him  befo’  break¬ 
fast  in  th’  mawnin’?” 

“Find  him  yo’self!”  retorted  the  guard, 
who  had  now  resumed  his  beat. 

Slowly,  as  if  the  search  was  a  task  for 
which  he  had  slight  relish,  Taylor  spoke  to 
Erwin  and  they  passed  the  guard.  Erwin’s 
face  was  wet  with  perspiration  in  spite  of  the 
chilliness  of  the  night.  His  teeth  had  an  un- 


NEAR  THE  FIRES 


85 


accountable  tendency  to  chatter  and  it  was 
only  by  exerting  himself  that  he  restrained 
his  impulse  to  break  into  a  mad  flight.  Slowly 
the  boys  advanced,  turning  slightly  to  their 
left  as  they  proceeded,  until  the  form  of  the 
guard  could  no  longer  be  discerned  behind 
them.  Before  them  was  the  line  of  blazing 
fires  which  must  be  crossed.  Both  boys 
realized  the  peril  of  this  venture — the  most 
perilous  of  all  their  attempts  of  the  night. 

As  the  young  soldiers  approached,  they 
were  able  to  see  that  every  man  in  the  line 
was  supposed  to  care  for  three  of  the  fires 
and  divided  his  time  and  attention  among 
them.  It  was  impossible  for  the  boys  to  pass 
the  line  without  being  seen.  Again  Taylor 
decided  that  the  bolder  was  likely  to  prove 
the  safer  way.  Whispering  a  word  of  en¬ 
couragement  to  Erwin,  he  led  the  way  di¬ 
rectly  toward  the  nearest  of  the  attendants, 
who  was  not  more  than  fifty  feet  in  front 
of  them. 

The  man’s  rifle  was  on  the  ground  near 
him  while  he  was  throwing  some  logs  upon 
the  blazing  heap. 

v  “Yo’  all  want  some  help,  suli?”  demanded 


86  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Taylor,  as  he  and  his  comrade  drew  near. 

The  unexpected  hail  plainly  startled  the 
man,  for  he  instantly  dropped  the  log  from 
his  arms  and  hastily  seizing  his  rifle,  peered 
intently  at  the  two  men  who  had  approached. 


The  unexpected  hail  plainly  startled  the  man. — Page  86. 


CHAPTER  VII 


FAILURE 

“We  uns  are  a  lookin’  for  Lieutenant  Kel- 
ber,”  drawled  Taylor. 

Plainly  relieved  by  the  words,  the  guard 
turned  quickly  and  called  to  some  one  not  far 
away,  though  he  could  not  be  seen  in  the  dim 
light  of  the  fire. 

In  response  to  the  guard’s  hail  a  man 
quickly  appeared  and  approached  the  place 
where  the  two  young  soldiers  were  standing. 
The  consternation  of  the  boys  was  great 
when  they  both  recognized  the  approaching 
man  as  Lieutenant  Kelber  himself. 

“What’s  wanted!”  demanded  the  officer 
sharply. 

“These  two  men  are  a  lookin’  fo’  you,”  re¬ 
plied  the  guard.  Taylor  instantly  removed 
his  cap  and  the  officer  turned  quickly  to  him 
for  an  explanation  of  the  guard’s  statement. 

“Yes,  sir.  We  are  looking  for  you,”  said 
Taylor,  striving  to  speak  indifferently.  “We 

87 


88  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


have  your  coat  ready.  Lieutenant  Evans 
told  us  you  were  here.” 

“My  coat!  Lieutenant  Evans!  What  do 
you  mean!” 

“Why,  we  are  the  prisoners  who  were  fix¬ 
ing  over  your  coats — yours  and  Lieutenant 
Evans’s.” 

“What  are  you  doing  with  them  here  out¬ 
side  the  guard  line!  You’ve  got  the  coats  on, 
too !  ’  ’  exclaimed  the  officer  sternly. 

“Yes,  sir.  We  have.  That  was  the  easi¬ 
est  way  to  carry  them.  Besides,  it’s  cold  to¬ 
night,  and  we  both  thought  we’d  like  to  know 
how  a  warm  coat  made  a  man  feel.  It’s 
been  a  long  time  since  we  had  such  a  thing.  ’  ’ 

“You  come  back  with  me,”  said  the  offi¬ 
cer  sternly.  “I’ll  look  into  this.  I  reckon 
the  place  for  you  uns  is  behind  the  stockade. 
You  say  you  passed  the  guard!” 

“Why,  yes,  sir,”  responded  Taylor  in  ap¬ 
parent  surprise.  “We  met  Lieutenant 
Evans  back  here.  He  told  me  to  keep  his 
coat  till  morning.  He  said,  too,  that  you 
were  here  somewhere,  and  we  might  give 
your  coat  to  you.” 


FAILURE 


89 


“Did  he  come  with  you  across  the  dead 
line  ?  ’ ’ 

“I  can’t  just  say  as  to  that.  It  was  so 
dark  we  couldn’t  tell  just  where  we  were.” 

“Did  he  pass  the  guard!” 

“No,  sir.” 

“Come.  I  must  look  into  this.  You 
Yanks  are  all  a  bad  lot.  I  wouldn’t  trust  you 
as  far  as  I  can  throw  a  ’possum  by  the  tail. 
Come  on.  We’ll  have  this  matter  straight¬ 
ened  out  directly.” 

Obediently  Taylor  and  Erwin  followed  the 
lieutenant  as  he  led  the  way  back  into  the 
camp.  The  night  was  too  dark  to  enable 
either  of  the  prisoners  to  see  the  face  of  his 
companion,  but  Taylor  did  not  require  any 
light  to  enable  him  to  understand  how  de¬ 
pressed  Erwin  was  by  the  outcome  of  their 
attempt  to  escape. 

Not  a  word  was  spoken  until  the  trio  ar¬ 
rived  at  the  quarters  of  Lieutenant  Evans. 
When  that  officer  came  forth  at  the  demand 
of  the  conductor  of  the  returning  prisoners, 
he  gazed  first  at  the  disconsolate  boys  and 
then  at  Lieutenant  Kelber. 


90  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“You  know  these  men?”  inquired  Lieuten¬ 
ant  Kelber. 

“Yes,  sir,  I  recognize  them.  One  of  them 
has  on  a  coat  of  mine  and  the  other  is  wear¬ 
ing  one  of  yours.” 

“Did  you  give  the  coats  to  them?” 

“I  did.” 

“Did  you  send  these  men  out  to  the  fires?” 

“No,  sir.” 

i  1  Didn ’t  you  tell  us  to  find  Lieutenant  Kel¬ 
ber  and  give  him  his  coat?”  inquired  Taylor 
eagerly. 

For  a  moment  Lieutenant  Evans  hesitated. 
Then,  turning  once  more  to  his  fellow  officer, 
he  said,  “I  reckon  it’s  all  right,  lieutenant. 
I  recollect  telling  these  prisoners  to  take  your 
coat  to  you.  I  didn’t  expect  them  to  follow 
you  all  the  way  to  Washington,  though.” 

“You  made  a  mistake!”  sternly  said  Lieu¬ 
tenant  Kelber,  who  was  an  older  man  than 
his  companion.  “If  I  hadn’t  found  them 
when  I  did  they  would  have  been  gone  by 
now.” 

“I  reckon  they  wouldn’t  have  gone  very 
far.  The  dogs  would  have  had  them  before 
they’d  gone  a  mile.  They  aren’t  such  fools 


FAILURE 


91 


as  to  try  that.  You’re  making  too  much  of 
the  matter,  lieutenant.  I  must  say  they  were 
running  a  big  risk  in  followin’  yo’  up  as  they 
did.  They’ll  know  better  next  time.” 

The  dogs  to  which  Lieutenant  Evans  re¬ 
ferred  were  packs  of  bloodhounds  that  every 
night  and  morning  patroled  the  borders  of 
the  camp.  In  charge  of  them  was  the  keeper 
of  the  hounds,  a  man  almost  as  savage  and 
brutal  in  his  appearance  as  the  fierce  pack 
he  commanded.  Taylor  and  Erwin  often  had 
discussed  the  ability  of  the  savage  dogs  to 
detect  the  footprint  of  a  Yankee.  Every  day 
a  multitude  of  white  men  and  black  as  well  as 
many  horses  and  mules  came  to  the  prison 
pen.  Their  footprints  in  the  soft  mud  near 
the  borders  of  the  prison  pen  were  numerous 
and  confusing.  How  it  was  that  the  great 
bloodhounds  on  their  rounds  would  ignore  the 
tracks  of  every  one  of  these  and  then  stop 
and  with  loud  yelps  suddenly  swerve  from 
their  course  when  they  detected  the  presence 
of  a  prisoner’s  footprint  in  the  confused 
mass,  had  frequently  been  a  source  of  won¬ 
der  to  both  Taylor  and  Erwin.  Neither  was 
familiar  with  the  ways  of  the  huge  brutes, 


92  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


and  both  stood  in  fear  of  them — a  fear 
greatly  magnified  by  the  current  reports  of 
the  certainty  with  which  the  dogs  ran  down 
escaping  “ niggers”  or  fleeing  prisoners.  In¬ 
deed,  one  of  the  most  perplexing  of  the  prob¬ 
lems  in  the  event  of  escaping  from  the  prison 
pen  was  the  flight  from  the  packs  that  doubt¬ 
less  would  be  sent  in  swift  pursuit  as  soon  as 
it  was  discovered  that  the  prisoners  were 
missing. 

1  6 It’s  a  good  thing  the  fence  is  nearly 
done,”  suggested  Lieutenant  Kelber.  “It’s 
all  up  except  on  the  west  side,  and  the  creek 
there,  as  well  as  the  swamp,  is  almost  as 
good  as  a  fence.  Fo’  my  part,  sir,  I  think 
these  two  men  ought  to  be  shut  up  in  the 
stockade.”  The  “stockade,”  as  both  boys 
well  knew,  was  an  enclosure  in  the  center  of 
the  prison  camp  itself.  The  place  was  sur¬ 
rounded  by  a  high  fence  having  sharp  pick¬ 
ets.  To  escape  from  the  enclosure  was 
impossible.  All  dangerous  or  offensive  pris¬ 
oners,  as  well  as  those  who  were  paying  the 
penalty  for  infringement  of  the  rules  of  the 
camp,  were  confined  there.  The  poor  and  in¬ 
sufficient  food,  the  cramped  and  crowded 


FAILURE 


93 


quarters  in  addition  to  the  suspicion  under 
which  the  man  rested  who  had  been  once 
sentenced  to  the  vile  place,  were  already 
known  by  both  boys. 

“It  can  be  easily  arranged,  sir,  if  yo’  de¬ 
sire  it, ’  9  suggested  Lieutenant  Evans. 

“I’ll  leave  the  matter  in  yo’  hands.  I 
reckon  you  are  a  bit  easy  though  and  the 
discipline  of  the  camp  must  be  kept  up.” 

When  Lieutenant  Kelber  departed,  Lieu¬ 
tenant  Evans  turned  to  the  two  boys  and  said 
quickly,  ‘  ‘  Why  did  yo  ’  all  try  it  ! 99 

“Try  what!”  inquired  Taylor. 

“Yo’  know  what  I  mean.” 

Neither  of  the  boys  replied  to  the  question. 

“I  reckon  you  are  not  so  very  different 
from  me,  an’  I  know  what  I’d  have  tried  if 
I’d  been  in  your  places.  I’m  not  sayin’  I 
blame  yo’,  except  fo’  your  foolishness.  I 
reckon  yo’  will  have  to  go  to  the  stockade.” 

‘  ‘  For  trying  to  do  what  you  say  you  your¬ 
self  would  have  tried  if  you  had  been  in  our 
places!”  inquired  Taylor. 

“Yes,  sir.  That  doesn’t  make  any  differ¬ 
ence.  Yo’  know  you  were  tryin’  to  get  away. 
There’s  a  report  that  an  exchange  is  goin’ 


94  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


to  be  made  in  a  day  or  two.  I  should  like 
to  have  seen  you-all  in  the  lists  and  I  reckon 
I  might  have  helped  a  bit,  too.  But  it  can’t 
be  done  now,  sir.” 

Even  Taylor’s  hopefulness  was  not  proof 
against  the  suggestion  of  the  warm-hearted 
young  officer,  who  was  different  from  all  the 
other  men  in  command  of  the  prison  camp. 
Indeed,  frequently  he  had  told  Taylor  in  the 
conversations  they  had  had,  how  bitterly  he 
regretted  the  terrible  war.  He  had  a  brother, 
too,  who  had  remained  North  after  he  had 
completed  his  college  course  at  one  of  the 
Northern  colleges  and  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war  he  had  enlisted  as  a  soldier  of  the 
Union.  Keenly  as  Lieutenant  Evans  be¬ 
wailed  the  disgrace  that  had  befallen  his 
family,  because  one  of  its  members  had  been 
disloyal,  as  he  believed,  to  his  state,  his  sym¬ 
pathies  were  still  sufficiently  broad  to  enable 
him  to  appreciate  and  even  honor  the  con¬ 
victions  of  those  who  did  not  agree  with  him. 
He  himself  had  followed  the  example  of  Gen¬ 
eral  Lee,  the  beloved  commander,  -  who  had 
entered  the  Confederate  service  still  loving 
the  Union,  but  believing  that  the  call  of  his 


FAILURE 


95 


own  state  was  superior  to  every  other  appeal. 
Frequently,  too,  the  young  officer  had  de¬ 
clared  that  the  trouble  could  end  at  once  if 
the  Northern  armies  would  leave  the  South¬ 
ern  States  alone.  To  the  suggestion  of  Tay¬ 
lor  that  the  armies  of  the  North  were  not 
where  they  were  by  choice,  and  that  one  word 
would  send  home  every  blue-coated  soldier, 
the  lieutenant  did  not  respond. 

That  the  young  officer  would  not  be 
swerved  from  his  duty  as  he  saw  it,  Taylor 
and  Erwin  both  understood.  Accordingly, 
neither  was  surprised  when  they  were  told 
that  they  must  leave  the  coats  that  had  been 
repaired  and  must  be  taken  at  once  to  the 
stockade. 

The  week  during  which  the  two  young  pris¬ 
oners  were  confined  within  the  narrow  limits 
of  the  stockade  was  one  of  misery.  Without 
shelter  from  the  rains  that  steadily  fell,  hav¬ 
ing  neither  clothing  that  could  warm  nor  any 
occupation  to  help  them  pass  the  dreary 
hours,  the  food  which  was  provided  became 
almost  nauseating.  Their  sole  relief  was  in 
the  gift  to  each  of  them  of  two  onions  which 
Lieutenant  Evans  had  made  when  he  had 


96  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


taken  them  to  the  prison  within  the  prison, 
as  the  stockade  virtually  was.  So  many  of 
their  fellow  prisoners  were  suffering  from 
scurvy  that  the  preventive  diet  was  eagerly 
welcomed  by  both  boys. 

Taylor  apparently  kept  up  his  spirits  in 
spite  of  his  dismal  surroundings  and  the 
memory  of  the  failure  that  had  crowned  their 
efforts  to  escape.  He  steadily  endeavored  to 
cheer  his  friend,  appealing  to  him  not  to 
abandon  hope.  Their  one  purpose  must  not 
he  forgotten  he  declared  cheerily  every  morn¬ 
ing,  and  that  was  to  keep  themselves  in  such 
condition  that  the  prevailing  sickness  among 
the  prisoners  should  not  attack  them.  In  a 
way,  too,  Taylor’s  efforts  were  not  without  a 
measure  of  success.  When  the  week  was 
gone  and  through  the  kindly  efforts  of  Lieu¬ 
tenant  Evans  they  were  restored  to  the  lib¬ 
erty  of  the  larger  prison  pen,  neither  was  in 
as  bad  a  condition  as  both  had  feared. 

Soon  after  their  return  to  their  former 
quarters  they  were  visited  by  Samuel.  “Y’ 
got  what  y’  deserved,  didn’t  ye?”  he  inquired 
tauntingly,  as  he  hailed  the  boys. 


FAILURE 


97 


“ There’s  one  comfort  for  yon,  Uncle 
Sam, ’ ’  retorted  Erwin.  “You  didn ’t  have  to 
go  to  the  stockade.  It  was  a  good  thing  for 
yon  that  yon  didn’t  try  to  get  away  with  ns.” 

“ There’s  a  lot  more  of  onr  men  here  now 
in  spite  of  the  exchange,”  said  Samnel,  ap¬ 
parently  ignoring  the  remark  of  his  fellow 
townsman. 

“Yes,  I  see,”  said  Taylor,  as  he  looked 
abont  the  camp.  “What  was  that  yon  said 
abont  exchanging!  Has  there  been  an  ex¬ 
change  !  ’ ’ 

“Yon ’re  right  there  has.  Two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  got  out  on  it.  When  the  list 
was  read,  some  of  our  men  whose  names  were 
not  in  it  played  sharp. 9  9 

i  ‘  What  did  they  do  !  ” 

“There  were  about  fifty  dead  men  on  the 
list.  Some  of  onr  men  answered  to  the  call 
in  place  of  those  who  had  died  in  camp. 
They  were  lucky.  A  good  many  of  them 
were  taken  out.  I  wish  I’d  been.” 

“Why  didn’t  yon  try  it!” 

“My  turn  will  come.  I’m  glad  I  didn’t  go 
with  yon.  Yon  might  have  told  me  and  given 


98  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


me  the  chance,  though.  You’re  watched  now 
and  you  won’t  dare  try  it  again.  If  you  do, 
you’ll  be  shot.” 

“Who  says  so?” 

‘  ‘  Lieutenant  Evans.  He  told  me  himself.  ’  ’ 

“What  did  you  tell  him  about  us?”  in¬ 
quired  Taylor  sharply. 

“Not  much.  He  asked  me  some  ques¬ 
tions.” 

“Don’t  forget  what  I  told  you,”  said  Tay¬ 
lor  sternly. 

“About  what?” 

“About  talking  about  us.” 

“  ’Twon’t  do  any  good  now  for  you  to  try 
to  get  away.  The  rebels  have  got  the  fence 
all  finished,  and  have  guards  posted  on  plat¬ 
forms  along  the  whole  length  of  it.  There  is 
a  line  of  guards,  too,  along  the  inside,  and 
the  outside  of  the  fence.  No  chance  now.” 

With  this  parting  word  of  comfort,  which 
Samuel  apparently  enjoyed,  their  visitor  de¬ 
parted. 

“Taylor,”  said  Erwin,  as  soon  as  Uncle 
Sam  was  gone,  “we  must  find  some  way  out. 
I’d  rather  take  my  chances  at  being  shot 
than  at  staying  here  much  longer.” 


FAILURE 


99 


6 6 We’ll  keep  quiet  a  few  days,  but  we’ll 
keep  our  eyes  open.  There  is  a  way  if  we 
can  find  it.” 

“We  must  find  it!” 

“We  will,  then,  if  we  must,”  replied  Tay¬ 
lor,  rejoiced  at  the  manifest  interest  of  his 
friend. 

Ten  days,  however,  elapsed  before  either 
found  a  scheme  that  seemed  in  any  way  fea¬ 
sible.  It  was  Erwin’s  suggestion,  too,  and  as 
he  unfolded  his  plan,  his  friend  exclaimed — 
“It’s  worth  trying!  We’ll  do  it.” 


CHAPTER  VIII 


OUTSIDE 

Along  a  part  of  one  side  of  the  prison  pen 
a  small  stream  sluggishly  made  its  way.  The 
water  was  filthy  and  ill-smelling.  The  banks 
of  the  little  creek  were  carefully  guarded  and 
every  guard  was  armed  with  a  rifle.  At  first 
sight  the  place  appeared  to  he  one  of  the  most 
impassable  of  the  barriers  surrounding  the 
dreary  camp. 

To  Erwin,  however,  the  very  morning  of 
the  day  when  his  proposal  to  his  friend  was 
made  a  surprising  discovery  had  come.  He 
had  been  strolling  near  the  foul  stream 
watching  the  changing  of  the  guards.  One 
of  the  retiring  guards,  glad  to  be  relieved  of 
his  post,  had  picked  up  two  stones  and 
thrown  them  into  the  stream  directly  under 
the  fence  that  had  been  built  twenty-five  or 
more  feet  lengthwise  of  the  muddy  creek. 

The  act  was  simple,  but  Erwin  was  startled 
by  the  thought  that  the  fence  did  not  rest 

100 


OUTSIDE 


101 


upon  the  bottom  of  the  stream,  but  was  only 
a  few  inches  below  the  surface.  Instantly, 
he  concluded  that  between  the  bottom  of  the 
fence  and  the  bottom  of  the  creek  was  an  in¬ 
tervening  body  of  water  which  the  pickets  or 
slabs  did  not  touch.  The  thought  was  so  sug¬ 
gestive  that  he  decided  to  make  further  in¬ 
vestigations.  After  a  brief  time  had  elapsed 
he  took  a  strip  of  wood  which  some  prisoner 
had  secured  for  firewood,  and  with  it  he  re¬ 
turned  to  the  muddy  stream.  Striving  to 
appear  indifferent,  he  dropped  his  torn  hat 
in  the  water  when  he  was  not  observed  and 
then  while  he  was  pretending  to  reach  for  his 
lost  head-covering  he  at  the  same  time  thrust 
his  stick  into  the  bottom  of  the  stream. 

As  he  had  believed,  he  found  the  bottom 
soft  and  muddy.  Several  inches  of  dark  mud 
that  remained  on  the  measuring  rod  partly 
indicated  how  deep  the  soft  bottom  was.  And 
he  had  not  found  solid  ground  in  his  attempt. 
What  most  interested  him,  however,  was  the 
discovery  that  the  water  itself  had  a  depth 
of  a  foot  and  a  half  near  the  bank.  If  the 
depth  was  as  great  as  that  near  the  shore  a 
fair  inference  might  be  drawn  that  the  stream 


102  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


was  still  deeper  where  the  fence  was.  The 
bottom  of  the  fence  must  be  at  least  two  feet 
above  the  muddy  bottom  of  the  stream  itself 
— a  space  sufficiently  large  to  permit  a  man  to 
crawl  under  it. 

The  discovery  was  suggestive  to  the  young 
prisoner.  Several  times  in  the  morning 
hours  he  returned  to  the  place,  striving  by 
his  air  of  indifference  to  avoid  arousing  any 
suspicions  of  the  thought  which  now  was 
uppermost  in  his  mind.' 

In  his  investigations  he  sought,  too,  to 
learn  the  exact  location  of  the  guards.  He 
was  relieved  when  the  hour  of  changing  came 
to  find  that  the  new  guard  took  his  stand  at 
the  same  place  where  his  predecessor  had 
been.  On  the  platforms  which  had  been 
built  out  upon  the  massive  fence,  the  sharp¬ 
shooters  had  their  station.  One  platform 
was  on  one  side  about  thirty  feet  from  the 
bank  of  the  stream  and  at  the  same  distance 
in  the  opposite  direction  was  another  on 
which  a  picked  man  was  stationed.  The  lo¬ 
cality  was  well  guarded  and  at  first  sight  es¬ 
cape  by  it  was  apparently  impossible. 

To  Erwin’s  excited  mind,  however,  the 


OUTSIDE 


103 


project  seemed  to  be  more  promising  than 
any  he  had  found  in  his  search.  Even  the 
peril  arising  from  the  presence  of  the  near-by 
guards  and  sharpshooters  was  not  sufficient 
to  deter  him.  Deeply  aroused,  he  speedily 
returned  to  his  quarters,  where  Taylor  was 
working  upon  a  coat  which  Lieutenant  Evans 
had  sent  him  to  repair.  Either  the  lieuten¬ 
ant  had  ceased  to  be  suspicious  or  the  luxury 
of  a  mended  coat  had  been  too  strong  to  re¬ 
sist;  Taylor  was  unable  to  determine  which 
motive  had  been  stronger  in  the  young  of¬ 
ficer’s  mind,  nor  did  he  care  if  only  some  oc¬ 
cupation  was  provided. 

“What  is  it,  Erwin?”  inquired  Taylor,  as 
he  became  aware  of  the  eager  expression  on 
his  friend’s  face. 

“I  think  I  have  found  something,”  replied 
Erwin  in  a  low  voice. 

“Go  ahead  with  your  tale,”  said  Taylor, 
bending  low  over  his  sewing. 

“You  know  that  place  where  the  fence 
around  the  camp  follows  the  creek  thirty  feet 
or  more?” 

“Yes.” 

“Well,  I’ve  found  that  the  fence  doesn’t 


104  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


go  clear  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  stream.” 

Taylor  looked  up  quickly  at  the  words,  but 
in  a  moment  he  hastily  resumed  his  task. 
“How  much  space  is  free!”  he  inquired. 

“Two  feet  or  more.” 

“What  makes  you  think  so!” 

Erwin  described  his  experiments  and  indi¬ 
cated  the  conclusions  he  had  formed. 

“That’s  good,”  said  Taylor  thoughtfully. 
“There  may  be  something  in  it.  Go  on.” 

“We  might  go  down  there  some  dark  night 
and  crawl  under  the  fence.” 

“Under  the  water!” 

“Yes.” 

“Go  on.” 

“I  think  we  might  crawl  along  on  the  bot¬ 
tom,  just  keeping  our  noses  out  of  the  water, 
till  we  had  passed  the  guards — ” 

“You  know  there  are  four  men  there — two 
guards  and  two  sharpshooters!  We’d  have 
to  dodge  all  four.” 

“Yes,  and  the  hounds,  too.” 

“How  do  you  propose  to  get  past  the 
dogs!” 

“Keep  in  the  water  till  we  have  gone  be¬ 
yond  them.” 


OUTSIDE 


105 


4  4  Gone  where  ?” 

4  4  I  don ’t  know.  Somewhere,  anywhere  out 
of  this !”  said  Erwin,  shuddering  as  he  spoke. 

“We  don’t  know  anything  about  the  coun¬ 
try  around  the  camp.” 

“The  creek  must  go  somewhere.  If  we 
follow  it  for  awhile  we  shan’t  lose  our  way.” 

“That’s  a  good  idea.  When  do  you  want 
to  try?” 

“The  first  dark  night.” 

“To-night?” 

“If  it’s  dark.” 

“I  don’t  believe  it’ll  be  dark  enough  for 
our  plan,”  said  Taylor,  glancing  at  the  sky. 

“To-morrow  night,  then — or  the  first  dark 
night.  ’  ’ 

“You  understand  how  filthy  the  creek  is?” 

“Yes.  Yes.” 

“We’ll  have  to  keep  our  heads  under  the 
water  part  of  the  time.” 

4 4 1  know  that.  ’  ’ 

4 4 It’s  worth  trying.  We’ll  do  it,”  said 
Taylor  warmly. 

Two  days  passed  and  the  plan  of  the  young 
prisoners  was  still  deferred.  The  nights 
were  clear  and  cold  and  the  darkness  was  not 


106  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


sufficiently  deep  to  warrant  any  attempt.  On 
the  afternoon  of  the  third  day,  however, 
when  Taylor  rejoined  his  friend  at  their 
quarters,  he  said,  ‘ 4  Erwin,  have  you  kept 
away  from  the  creek  V9 

“Yes.  I  haven’t  been  near  it  but  once 
since  I  spoke  to  you.” 

“That’s  good.  Have  you  seen  Uncle 
Sam?” 

“He’s  been  here  twice.” 

‘  ‘  What  did  he  have  to  say  ?  ’  ’ 

“Not  very  much.  He  doesn’t  suspect  any¬ 
thing.  ’  ’ 

“I  wish  I  felt  sure  of  that.  You  can’t 
trust  him.  I’m  of  the  opinion  he’s  watching 
us  all  the  time.” 

“Why!” 

“I  haven’t  any  real  reason,  except  that  I’m 
afraid  of  him.  He’s  a  fellow  you  never  can 
depend  upon.  He’d  do  anything  to  hurt  us  if 
he  thought  he’d  be  the  gainer  by  it.  Er¬ 
win,”  Taylor  added  abruptly,  “I  think  we’d 
better  try  it  to-night.” 

“It  isn’t  going  to  rain.  It  won’t  be  any 
darker  than  it  was  last  night.” 

“That  will  be  dark  enough.  I  wish  we’d 


OUTSIDE 


107 


gone  ahead  then.  I  have  thought  it  all  over 
and  I’ve  come  to  the  conclusion  that  a  rainy 
night  won’t  be  as  good  for  us  as  a  still,  dark 
one.” 

“They’ll  see  us.  The  guard  can  fire  at 
us,”  suggested  Erwin. 

“That’s  true,  but  it’s  just  as  true  that  we 
must  be  able  to  see  a  little  of  our  way  our¬ 
selves.  These  southern  nights  are  dark  any¬ 
way,  and  there  won ’t  be  any  moon  to-night.  ’  ’ 

“I’m  ready  to  try  it  if  you  are,”  re¬ 
sponded  Erwin  quietly. 

“Better  be  ready  then.  We’ll  wait  till  the 
camp  is  asleep,  though  we  mustn’t  wait  too 
long.  If  we  get  out  we  want  to  put  a  big 
distance  between  us  and  Camp  Sorghum  by 
sunrise.  We’d  better  talk  over  a  few  of  the 
details.” 

“What  do  you  propose?” 

“I  think  we’d  better  go  together — at  least 
to  the  creek.  There,  I’ll  slip  into  the  water 
first  and  crawl  under  the  fence.  If  I  get 
along  all  right,  you  follow  me  in  about  five 
minutes.  I’ll  keep  on  down  the  creek  and 
that’s  what  you  must  do,  too.” 

“Where ’ll  we  meet!” 


108  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Have  to  wait  and  see  about  that.  When 
I  find  a  good  place  I’ll  stop  and  keep  watch 
for  you  to  come  along.  If  yon  hear  a — if 
you  hear  anything  that  may  have  happened 
to  me — you  make  a  break  for  it  and  look 
out  for  yourself.  We  may  be  separated  any¬ 
way.  ’  ’ 

Erwin  was  quiet  for  a  moment.  He  was 
aware  that  his  friend  was  voicing  what  was 
not  only  possible  but  probable.  The  project 
was  filled  with  peril.  The  chances  of  passing 
the  guard  were  desperate,  and  yet  Erwin  was 
now  in  a  frame  of  mind  in  which  even  the 
direst  possibilities  could  not  check  him. 

In  a  brief  time  the  boys  separated  and 
were  not  together  again  until  the  hour  ar¬ 
rived  for  “dinner.”  Both  ate  all  the  food 
they  received,  having  previously  decided  that 
the  filthy  stream  would  spoil  any  provisions 
they  might  try  to  carry  with  them.  Where 
or  when  their  next  meal  would  be  found  was 
not  even  a  matter  of  conjecture. 

At  nine  o’clock  both  young  prisoners  were 
at  their  quarters.  As  they  stretched  them¬ 
selves  upon  the  ground  Taylor  whispered — 
“We  must  not  wait,  Erwin.  I’ve  been  think- 


OUTSIDE 


109 


ing  more  about  it  and  I  believe  we’ll  stand 
a  better  chance  to  go  now  before  everything 
about  the  camp  is  quiet.” 

“I  think  you’re  right.  I’m  ready  when 
you  are.  It’s  dark  enough  any  time.” 

“You  meet  me  at  the  creek,  then,”  whis¬ 
pered  Taylor,  as  he  arose  and  departed  in 
the  darkness. 

Excited  as  Erwin  was,  he  still  moved  cau¬ 
tiously  and  carefully  when  a  few  minutes 
afterward  he,  too,  started  for  the  meeting 
place. 

He  was  rejoiced  when  later  he  found  Tay¬ 
lor  lying  on  the  ground  near  the  stream  and 
he,  too,  took  his  place  beside  his  friend.  Not 
a  person  had  spoken  to  them,  and  apparently 
no  one  was  near.  The  dim  outline  of  the 
sharpshooter  on  the  raised  platform  could  be 
seen,  but  if  he  had  discovered  their  presence 
he  at  least  betrayed  no  sign. 

When  two  minutes  had  passed  Taylor 
pressed  his  friend’s  hand  and  slowly  slid  into 
the  water. 

Erwin,  almost  breathless,  watched  his  de¬ 
parting  friend,  but  in  a  brief  time  not  even 
Taylor’s  head  could  be  seen.  The  guard 


110  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


was  invisible,  and  when  Erwin  glanced  again 
at  the  sharpshooter  he,  too,  apparently  was 
not  suspicious.  The  young  prisoner  was 
listening  intently.  At  any  moment  the  call 
of  the  guard  or  the  report  of  his  gun  might 
be  heard.  What  the  report  would  mean  Er¬ 
win  understood  only  too  well.  How  slowly 
the  time  passed.  Was  it  five  minutes  or  an 
hour  since  his  friend  had  entered  the  stream? 
Erwin  could  not  decide.  He  worked  his  way 
a  little  nearer  the  water.  What  an  evil  odor 
it  had!  Had  Taylor  been  caught  and  held 
by  the  mud?  A  half-dozen  possible  dire  mis¬ 
fortunes  might  have  been  met  by  his  friend. 
The  suspense  and  uncertainty  were  harder 
to  bear  than  action.  Erwin  slipped  slowly 
and  cautiously  into  the  water. 

Creeping  upon  his  hands,  his  body  sub¬ 
merged,  he  crawled  steadily  forward.  The 
foul  water  almost  choked  him.  The  soft  mud 
of  the  bottom  was  so  yielding  that  it  was 
only  with  the  greatest  difficulty  he  continued 
to  keep  his  face  above  the  water.  Occasion¬ 
ally  he  stopped  to  listen.  There  was  a  roar¬ 
ing  in  his  ears  and  the  beatings  of  his  heart 
sounded  almost  like  a  drum.  Steadily,  cau- 


OUTSIDE 


111 


tiously  he  drew  himself  forward  until  at  last 
he  could  see  the  high  fence  directly  in  front 
of  him.  The  supreme  moment  had  arrived. 

Drawing  a  full  breath  and  grasping  the 
bottom  of  the  fence,  he  drew  himself  under¬ 
neath  it.  His  body  was  on  the  muddy  bot¬ 
tom,  but  he  did  not  stop.  Striving  desper¬ 
ately  to  be  quiet  in  his  movements  at  last  he 
gained  the  water  on  the  further  side.  As 
he  lifted  his  face  above  the  stream  it  seemed 
to  Erwin  for  a  moment  that  he  must  cough. 
The  filthy  water  was  almost  strangling  him. 
By  a  great  effort  he  controlled  himself.  He 
was  still  near  the  fence  and  when  his  eyes 
were  partly  cleared  he  eagerly  looked  about 
for  the  guard.  At  first  he  was  unable  to  dis¬ 
cover  the  man.  Soon,  however,  he  saw  him 
seated  on  the  ground,  his  back  leaning 
against  the  trunk  of  a  huge  tree.  Had  the 
guard  seen  him!  Was  he  watching  even 
now!  The  uncertainty  had  not  departed 
when  once  more  Erwin  began  slowly  to  crawl 
forward. 


CHAPTER  IX 


IN  THE  SWAMP 

When  Erwin  liad  advanced  two  yards  lie 
stopped  and  peered  once  more  at  tlie  dim 
form  of  the  guard.  Apparently  the  man  had 
not  moved.  He  was  not  more  than  twenty 
feet  from  the  place  in  the  stream  where  the 
young  prisoner  was  crouching.  The  silence 
of  the  night  was  suddenly  broken  when  in 
response  to  the  call  of  the  adjoining  guard, 

the  man  in  front  of  Erwin  slowlv  arose  and 

•/ 

sleepily  called:  “Post  number  foali!  Half 
past  nine  o’clock.  And  a-l-l’s  w-e-1-1!” 

In  a  turmoil  of  excitement  Erwin  was 
breathing  rapidly.  Exerting  himself  to  the 
utmost  he  still  endeavored  to  lie  motionless. 
Much  of  his  body  was  covered  by  the  dark 
water,  and  his  face,  except  the  left  side,  was 
also  submerged.  Almost  fascinated,  he 
watched  the  guard,  who  yawned,  stretched 
his  arms,  and  then  a  moment  later  resumed 
his  seat  at  the  base  of  the  tree  against 

112 


IN  THE  SWAMP 


113 


which  he  before  had  been  leaning.  A  feeling 
of  exultation  came  to  the  young  prisoner 
which  for  the  moment  almost  enabled  him  to 
forget  the  filthy  water  that  was  well-nigh 
strangling  him. 

Waiting  for  what  seemed  to  Erwin  a  suf¬ 
ficient  time  to  ensure  the  sleep  of  the  guard, 
if  the  man  really  was  sleeping,  he  resumed 
his  slow  advance.  The  slightest  noise  would 
arouse  the  sentinel  now.  Not  a  ripple  must 
be  heard.  The  advance  was  by  inches.  Once 
Erwin  felt  his  hands  slip  down  into  a  hole 
in  the  bed  of  the  stream.  The  vile  water 
again  filled  his  mouth  and  nose,  and  almost 
forced  him  to  cough.  By  a  great  effort,  he 
restrained  the  impulse.  His  face  was  turned 
toward  the  guard.  The  sharpshooter  on  the 
platform  was  hidden  from  his  sight  by  the 
few  trees  that  intervened.  His  sole  danger, 
at  least  for  the  moment,  lay  with  the  guard. 

Not  a  movement  had  the  man  made  since 
Erwin  had  resumed  his  crawling.  Fortu¬ 
nately  the  stream  was  as  shallow  as  he  and 
Taylor  had  thought  it  was.  Only  occasion¬ 
ally  did  the  bed  dip  and  so  slow  was  the 
progress  of  the  desperate  boy  that  he  was 


114  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


already  prepared  when  his  fingers  found  the 
deeper  places. 

One  yard,  two  yards,  five  yards  had  been 
successfully  passed.  As  yet  the  guard  had 
not  betrayed  any  knowledge  of  the  escape. 
The  fear  of  the  discovery  in  the  camp  that 
the  two  prisoners  were  gone  now  seized  upon 
Erwin.  The  guard  was  at  least  thirty  feet 
away,  though  his  form  still  could  be  plainly 
seen  by  the  desperate  young  soldier.  It 
seemed  to  Erwin  that  the  time  had  come 
when  with  safety  he  might  increase  the  speed 
at  which  he  was  moving.  Just  before  him, 
projecting  a  few  inches  above  the  water,  was 
a  long  root.  Reaching  forward,  Erwin 
grasped  the  root  and  strove  to  pull  himself 
by  its  aid. 

Suddenly  the  root  snapped  in  his  hands. 
It  was  not  a  root  at  all — only  a  dead  branch 
of  a  tree  projecting  over  the  stream.  Terri¬ 
fied  by  the  sharp  report  of  the  snapping 
branch,  it  was  only  with  difficulty  that  Erwin 
controlled  his  wild  impulse  to  rise  and  flee 
from  the  place.  His  only  hope  seemed  to  lie 
in  swift  flight. 

Instantly,  however,  realizing  the  peril  of 


IN  THE  SWAMP 


115 


any  such  action,  he  sank  once  more  into  the 
stream  and  lay  still.  In  terror  he  glanced 
back  at  the  guard.  He  could  see  that  the 
man  was  sitting  erect  now,  plainly  startled 
by  the  sharp  sound  of  the  breaking  branch. 
In  a  moment  the  guard  sat  erect  and  Erwin 
could  see  that  he  was  holding  his  rifle  in  his 
hands.  His  face,  too,  was  turned  toward  the 
place  from  which  the  sound  had  come.  For 
a  moment  it  seemed  to  Erwin  that  he  him¬ 
self  was  seen. 

His  alarm  increased  when  the  guard  si¬ 
lently  arose  and  advanced  a  few  steps  nearer 
the  place  where  the  soldier  was  lying  in  the 
stream.  For  an  instant  Erwin  thought  of 
Taylor,  wondering  where  his  friend  was  at 
that  moment.  His  own  escape  apparently 
was  hopeless  now.  The  sole  thought  in  his 
mind  was,  that  by  remaining  quiet  he  might, 
perhaps,  help  Taylor.  In  his  eagerness  to 
secure  one  escaping  prisoner  the  guard  might 
not  make  any  effort  to  ascertain  whether  or 
not  there  were  others  near  him.  Taylor 
might  now  have  gone  so  far  beyond  the  bor¬ 
ders  that  he  at  least  would  be  free. 

Suddenly  Erwin  became  aware  that  the 


116  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


guard  had  stopped.  He  could  see  the  man 
leaning  forward,  peering  intently  into  the 
darkness  in  the  direction  whence  the  sound 
of  the  broken  branch  had  come.  Had  he 
seen  the  face  of  the  crouching  prisoner? 
Breathless  in  his  suspense,  Erwin  waited  and 
watched  the  man  on  the  shore  not  far  away. 
How  long  a  time  elapsed  Erwin  never  knew, 
but  at  last  the  guard,  apparently  satisfied 
that  he  had  been  mistaken,  or  that  the  sound, 
if  he  really  had  heard  one,  was  innocent, 
slowly  turned  back  toward  the  tree  against 
which  he  had  before  been  leaning. 

What  seemed  to  Erwin  a  long  time  passed 
before  he  dared  move.  This  time  the  guard 
had  not  seated  himself.  He  was  watchful, 
and  his  face  was  toward  the  stream.  Ap¬ 
parently  his  fears  had  not  all  departed,  al¬ 
though  he  had  not  been  able  to  discover  any 
cause  for  alarm. 

At  last  Erwin  decided  that  the  suspense 
could  not  be  endured  longer.  His  caution 
increased  as  he  once  more  began  to  crawl 
forward.  His  progress  was  by  inches  now. 
His  hands  were  not  permitted  to  rise  more 
than  an  inch  or  two  above  the  muddy  hot- 


IN  THE  SWAMP 


117 


tom.  With  every  action  he  turned  his  face 
to  the  place  where  the  guard  was  watching. 
The  darkness  was  sufficient  to  conceal  him — 
of  that  Erwin  now  felt  certain.  Some  low 
bushes  were  growing  along  the  marshy 
shores  and  these  aided  in  hiding  him.  His 
one  great  danger  was  in  making  some  noise 
in  his  movements.  If  the  guard  should  hear 
another  suspicious  sound  there  was  no  ques¬ 
tion  in  Erwin’s  mind  as  to  what  instantly 
would  follow. 

All  conception  of  time  was  gone  now. 
The  one  overmastering  purpose  was  to  go  on. 
Distance  between  him  and  the  guard  was  to 
Erwin’s  mind  the  sole  measure  of  safety. 
On  and  still  on  he  crawled.  Whether  min¬ 
utes  or  hours  had  elapsed  he  could  not  de¬ 
termine.  Whether  he  had  gone  yards  or  feet 
he  did  not  know.  One  thing,  however,  was 
certain  now,  and  that  was,  that  the  guard 
could  not  be  seen. 

The  strain  was  beginning  to  be  felt  by  this 
time  by  Erwin.  The  excitement  as  well  as 
the  efforts  he  had  put  forth  were  almost  ex¬ 
hausting  him.  The  foul  odor  of  the  water, 
its  nauseating  taste,  in  addition  to  the  cold 


118  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


he  was  suffering,  were  added  perils.  He  felt 
sometimes  as  if  his  body  did  not  belong  to 
him.  It  was  almost  numb.  His  fingers 
were  cramped  and  his  eyes  were  so  blurred 
that  even  his  way  was  difficult  to  find.  Still 
Erwin  slowly  pulled  himself  forward.  He 
was  aware  that  the  stars  were  in  the  sky 
and  that  he  was  in  a  more  open  region  than 
when  he  was  passing  the  bushes  where  the 
snapping  branch  had  so  nearly  proved  his 
undoing.  Lifting  his  head  for  a  moment  he 
saw  not  far  before  him  what  seemed  to  be 
the  outlines  of  trees  and  more  brush.  Per¬ 
haps  there  he  would  find  Taylor  awaiting 
him. 

The  thought  of  his  comrade  served  to  re¬ 
vive  Erwin’s  eagerness.  With  an  increased 
determination  he  continued  on  his  way.  If 
the  open  space  could  be  successfully  passed 
then  his  hope  of  escaping  would  be  stronger. 
If  it  were  only  possible  for  him  to  rise  and 
walk,  he  thought,  what  a  relief  the  change 
would  be.  The  low  marshy  ground  about 
him,  through  which  the  muddy  stream  had 
its  course,  was  so  level  that  anyone  walking 
on  it  would  be  easily  discovered  by  watching 


IN  THE  SWAMP 


119 


or  searching  soldiers.  His  best  way  was  to 
continue  as  he  was  doing,  he  concluded, 
though  every  movement  was  one  of  pain  and 
his  wearied  body  seemed  as  heavy  as  though 
it  had  been  weighted  with  lead. 

Slowly,  frequently  stopping  for  rest,  Er¬ 
win  crawled  forward.  He  was  no  longer 
fearful  of  sounds  of  pursuit.  Even  discov¬ 
ery  was  comparatively  a  matter  of  indiffer¬ 
ence  now.  His  efforts  were  almost  mechan¬ 
ical.  There  was  slight  feeling  in  his  arms 
and  almost  none  in  his  hands.  Still,  the 
well-nigh  exhausted  young  soldier  pulled 
himself  forward.  It  was,  therefore,  with  a 
feeling  of  surprise  that  at  last  he  found  him¬ 
self  on  the  border  of  the  dark  spot  he  had 
seen  before  him.  The  stream  was  entering 
a  region  where  trees  and  rank  bushes  were 
growing  along  its  borders.  It  apparently 
was  a  huge  swamp  to  which  he  had  come. 

He  was  more  eager  now  as  the  thought  of 
Taylor  recurred.  Had  his  friend  escaped? 
If  he  had,  then  somewhere  in  the  region  be¬ 
fore  him  he  could  be  found.  Erwin  longed 
to  shout,  to  call  for  his  comrade,  but  he  well 
knew  that  any  such  effort  on  his  part  would 


120  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


be  as  foolisli  as  it  was  impossible.  His  best 
course  would  be  to  go  on,  lie  concluded,  and 
be  on  the  lookout  for  his  friend. 

Once  within  the  shelter  of  the  brush  Er¬ 
win  staggered  to  his  feet.  He  was  scarcely 
able  to  stand.  The  soft  mud  into  which  his 
feet  sank  with  every  advancing  step  seemed 
to  hold  him  almost  as  in  a  vise.  The  effort 
to  walk  in  the  stream  was  almost  beyond  his 
strength.  Struggling  forward  he  advanced 
a  few  yards  and  then  in  an  attempt  to  re¬ 
cover  himself  he  fell  forward,  a  low  cry  es¬ 
caping  his  lips  as  he  struck  the  water. 

Suddenly  he  felt  someone  grasp  his  arm 
and  he  was  assisted  to  stand.  He  was  not 
surprised  when  he  heard  the  low  voice  of 
Taylor ;  indeed,  he  would  not  have  cared  very 
much,  he  thought,  if  it  had  been  Uncle  Sam 
or  even  Lieutenant  Evans  that  had  spoken 
to  him.  He  was  too  exhausted  to  realize 
fully  what  the  rescue  meant. 

“I’ve  been  waiting  for  you,”  whispered 
Taylor  encouragingly.  “I’ve  had  a  good 
rest  here  on  the  knee  of  this  old  cypress  root. 
I  knew  you  couldn’t  pass  me,  but  I’m  glad 
you’ve  come.” 


IN  THE  SWAMP 


121 


As  Erwin  was  unable  to  reply,  Taylor  as¬ 
sisted  him  to  the  place  which  he  himself  had 
recently  occupied.  For  a  time  neither  spoke, 
while  Taylor  waited  for  his  friend  to  recover 
a  little  from  his  struggles. 

‘ 4 Erwin/ ’  he  whispered  at  last,  “can  you 
go  on  a  little  further  now!” 

“Can’t  we  try  the  bank?  The  mud  in  the 
bottom  of  the  creek  is  deep.” 

“I’ve  been  a  little  way  down  the  stream,” 
said  Taylor.  “I  came  back  to  wait  for  you. 
There’s  a  clump  of  trees  beyond  the  swamp. 
If  you  could  wade  till  we  came  to  them — ” 

“I’ll  try  it,”  said  Erwin. 

“Good!  We  don’t  want  to  leave  any 
tracks  if  we  can  help  it.  Did  any  one  see 
you?” 

“I  don’t  think  so.  I  broke  a  branch  near 
the  guard  and  that  roused  him  a  little.  He 
took  his  gun  and  started  toward  me.  ’  ’ 

“He  didn’t  see  you,  though?”  demanded 
Taylor  eagerly. 

“I  don’t  think  he  did.  He  didn’t  follow 
me  anyway.” 

“Good.  Now  if  we  can  only  dodge  the 
master  of  the  hounds  and  his  dogs!  We’ve 


122  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


done  well,  but  we’ll  have  to  use  all  the 
strength  we’ve  got  to  get  away  from  the 
bloodhounds.  They  make  the  rounds  of 
the  pen  every  night,  you  know,  and  twice 
every  day.” 

‘ ‘  Come  on !  ”  said  Erwin  quickly.  The  ref¬ 
erence  to  the  dogs  had  served  to  rouse  him, 
just  as  Taylor  had  hoped  it  would  do. 

Together  the  two  boys  started.  They  had 
not  gone  far,  however,  before  it  became  evi¬ 
dent  that  for  a  time  at  least  the  stream  was 
impassable.  The  mud  was  softer  and  deeper, 
and  progress  in  it  was  soon  so  difficult  that 
both  decided  to  try  the  left  bank.  Time  now 
was  almost  as  important  as  distance. 

The  boys  found  the  banks  firm  in  places 
and  both  made  more  rapid  progress.  The 
moon  had  risen  by  this  time  and  in  its  light 
they  were  enabled  to  see  the  way  before 
them. 

“What’s  that?”  suddenly  whispered  Er¬ 
win  when  they  had  halted  a  moment  for  rest. 
“What’s  that?  What’s  that?”  he  repeated 
hoarsely. 

Taylor  was  silent  for  a  moment  before  he 
responded.  Far  away  could  be  heard  the 


IN  TEE  SWAMP 


123 


baying  of  dogs.  Whether  the  weird  cry  in¬ 
dicated  that  the  escape  of  the  two  boys  had 
been  discovered  and  that  men  and  dogs  were 
in  pursuit  or  whether  it  merely  indicated  the 
nightly  rounds  of  the  “master  of  the 
hounds,”  as  the  man  in  charge  of  the  fierce 
pack  was  known,  it  was  impossible  to  de¬ 
cide.  The  sound,  however,  was  distinct,  al¬ 
though  it  indicated  that  the  bloodhounds 
were  not  near. 

“We  must  take  to  the  creek  again,  Er¬ 
win,”  whispered  Taylor. 

Breathlessly  Erwin  followed  his  friend 
into  the  stream.  Difficult  as  the  way  was,  it 
still  was  their  sole  hope  if  the  dogs  were 
searching  for  them.  As  the  boys  struggled 
forward  they  soon  found  the  bed  of  the  creek 
was  becoming  somewhat  firmer.  Broken 
branches  from  overhanging  trees,  gnarled 
roots  in  the  mud,  however,  added  to  the  dif¬ 
ficulties  and  sufferings  of  the  desperate 
young  soldiers.  Every  step  was  one  of  pain. 
There  was  no  protection  from  the  pointed 
sticks  upon  which  their  feet  frequently  were 
placed. 

For  a  time  the  boys  bent  all  their  energies 


124  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


upon  flight.  They  had  not  advanced  very 
far,  however,  before  the  cry  of  the  dogs  was 
heard  again.  This  time  the  terrifying  sound 
plainly  was  nearer. 

“I  don’t  see  how  they  got  the  scent,”  mut¬ 
tered  Taylor.  “But  they’re  after  us,  that’s 
plain.  We  must  do  something!” 

“What?”  inquired  Erwin  hopelessly. 

“Hark!”  whispered  Taylor.  “What’s 
that  in  the  woods?” 

A  moment  later  there  was  no  need  of  ex¬ 
planation,  for  both  boys  were  able  to  per¬ 
ceive  the  cause  of  the  startling  sound  among 
the  neighboring  trees. 


CHAPTER  X 


THE  MASTER  OF  THE  HOUNDS 

In  the  dim  light  two  huge  dogs  were  bay¬ 
ing  and  frantically  running  about  the  bank. 
That  the  hoys  had  been  discovered  both  the 
young  prisoners  were  convinced. 

“ Crouch!  Keep  behind  the  tree!  Don’t 
speak,”  whispered  Taylor  excitedly. 

Clinging  tightly  to  the  long  root,  both  boys 
drew  closer  to  the  huge  trunk  of  the  cypress 
tree.  In  spite  of  their  fears  both,  however, 
were  peering  at  the  frantic  hounds  which 
were  baying  in  tones  that  added  to  the  ter¬ 
ror  of  the  desperate  young  soldiers.  Ap¬ 
parently  the  end  of  their  efforts  to  escape 
had  come.  The  dogs  must  have  gained  their 
scent  along  the  bank  upon  which  the  boys 
had  made  their  way  for  a  short  distance. 

As  yet,  neither  of  the  two  dogs  had  ven¬ 
tured  into  the  water.  Both  Taylor  and  Er¬ 
win  could  see  the  huge  brutes  in  their  excite¬ 
ment.  Creeping  close  to  the  border  the  dogs 

125 


126  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


lifted  their  heads  and  howled  in  a  manner 
that  was  terrifying  to  the  trembling  boys. 
Stories  of  prisoners  in  their  attempts  to  es¬ 
cape  being  torn  by  the  savage  packs  recurred 
to  the  crouching  young  soldiers.  Perhaps 
their  turn  had  now  come.  Not  a  word  was 
spoken  as  the  boys  peered  at  the  frantic 
hounds.  Both  were  aware  what  was  likely 
to  befall  within  a  few  minutes. 

In  a  brief  time  the  master  of  the  hounds 
was  seen  approaching  the  place  where  his 
dogs  were  baying.  The  man  was  mounted 
upon  a  mule  which  with  difficulty  was  mak¬ 
ing  its  way  over  the  soft  and  marshy  ground. 
As  the  man  leaped  from  the  back  of  the  ani¬ 
mal  he  was  riding  the  excitement  of  the  two 
dogs  was  redoubled.  They  leaped  upon  the 
man  and  then  turned  frantically  to  the  shore 
and  their  deep-mouthed  haying  was  mingled 
with  growls  and  yelps  that  seemed  to  Erwin 
and  Taylor  the  most  fearful  sounds  they  had 
ever  heard.  Even  the  roar  of  cannon  in  bat¬ 
tle  or  the  reports  of  rifles  were  as  nothing 
compared  with  the  terrifying  threats  of  the 
savage  brutes.  In  their  weakened  condition 


MASTER  OF  THE  HOUNDS  127 


both  boys  had  slight  hope  now  of  escaping 
the  fangs  of  the  dogs  before  them. 

“What  is  it,  Judy?  Have  yo’  found  ’em, 
Judas?”  exclaimed  the  master  of  the  hounds 
as  he  approached  his  dogs. 

For  a  moment  the  noise  was  even  louder 
than  it  had  been  before.  Whining,  snarling, 
yelping,  baying,  the  two  dogs  darted  to  the 
shore  and  it  seemed  as  if  both  were  about  to 
leap  into  the  stream.  A  low  word  from  their 
master  quieted  them  in  a  measure  as  the 
man  stood  peering  into  the  darkness.  He 
himself  could  be  seen  by  the  trembling  boys, 
and  there  was  still  a  faint  hope  in  their 
minds  that  the  great  tree  to  whose  roots 
they  were  clinging  might  conceal  them  from 
his  sight. 

“We-uns  have  got  yo’  now!”  called  the 
man.  “Come  in  outen  that!” 

Whether  or  not  the  man  really  could  see 
them  neither  of  the  boys  knew.  Both,  how¬ 
ever,  remained  where  they  were,  drawing 
closer  to  the  huge  root  and  still  peering 
around  its  border  at  the  sight  before  them. 

“Come  in  outen  that!”  called  the  man 


128  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


once  more.  “It’s  your  last  chance  before  I 
send  the  dogs  in  after  yo  ’-all !  ’  ’ 

Still  neither  of  the  boys  moved  from  his 
position  and  both  were  silently  watching  the 
scene  before  them.  The  dogs  had  become 
more  qniet  while  their  master  was  speaking. 
Both  were  crouching  at  his  feet  and  looking 
up  into  his  face  as  if  they  were  only  awaiting 
his  word  to  rush  into  the  muddy  stream  and 
tear  the  men,  whom  they  could  see  if  their 
master  could  not,  limb  from  limb. 

Suddenly  the  man  drew  a  revolver  from 
his  hip  pocket  and  fired  twice  at  the  tree  be¬ 
hind  which  the  boys  were  crouching.  The 
thud  of  the  bullets  as  they  struck  was 
plainly  heard  by  the  desperate  boys  and  both 
were  startled  by  the  sudden  act  of  the  man 
on  the  bank. 

“Now  will  yo’-all  come  outen  that!”  called 
the  man  savagely.  “That’s  warnin’  number 
one.  Come  out  an’  I’ll  protect  yo’-all.  If 
you  wait  there  I’ll  send  in  the  dogs.  Speak 
up  so ’t  I  kin  heah  yo  ’-all !  Are  yo  ’  a  com- 
in’?  I’ll  give  yo’  till  I  count  five  an’  after 
that  I’ll  let  loose  the  dawgs.” 

Taylor  reached  up  and  pressed  the  arm 


MASTER  OF  THE  HOUNDS  129 


of  liis  companion  to  let  him  know  that  no 
response  to  the  demand  was  to  be  made. 

The  silence  of  the  night  was  unbroken  save 
by  the  whimperings  of  the  dogs.  The  figure 
of  the  waiting  master  of  the  hounds  was 
clearly  outlined  in  the  moonlight.  It  was 
manifest  that  he  had  slight  fear  of  being  the 
target  for  the  bullets  of  an  unseen  enemy. 
For  a  brief  time  the  man  was  silent  and  mo¬ 
tionless.  Then  turning  to  his  dogs  he  ex¬ 
claimed  savagely,  “Go  get  ’em!  Drive  ’em 
out!  Tear  th’ Yanks  to  pieces,  Judas !  Bite 
’em,  Judy!” 

With  a  growl  so  loud  and  fierce  that  it  was 
startling  to  the  watching  boys,  the  two  dogs 
darted  again  to  the  shore.  One  of  them 
leaped  into  the  stream  but  the  other  hesi¬ 
tated  after  several  false  starts.  Plainly  it 
did  not  desire  any  close  contact  with  the  dark 
and  forbidding  stream. 

“What  d’ye  mean,  Judas?”  roared  the 
master.  “Afraid,  be  ye?  I’ll  give  yo’ 
somethin’  worth  being  scart  by,”  he  added, 
as  he  laid  the  whip,  which  he  was  holding  in 
his  right  hand,  many  times  upon  the  cower¬ 
ing  brute.  A  growl,  a  scream  of  pain,  a  chal- 


130  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


lenge  followed  and  the  dog  turned  and  leaped 
into  the  water,  following  its  companion, 
which  now  was  nearing  the  place  where  the 
two  boys  were  hiding. 

Already  at  Taylor’s  whispered  word  Er¬ 
win  had  drawn  himself  farther  up  the  twisted 
root  and  was  well  above  the  water.  He  was 
still  sheltered  by  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  how¬ 
ever,  and  unless  the  man  on  the  bank  had 
seen  him,  he  was  in  no  great  danger  from 
the  pistol.  Taylor  had  climbed  into  the 
place  which  his  friend  had  vacated,  but  as  he 
looked  down  he  was  by  no  means  convinced 
that  he  was  far  enough  above  the  water  to 
make  him  safe  from  the  fangs  of  the  dogs. 

The  noise  of  the  approaching  brutes  was 
plainly  heard.  The  dogs  were  splashing  in 
the  muddy  stream,  but  they  were  not  barking 
or  growling  now.  Their  every  effort  ap¬ 
parently  was  to  gain  the  place  where  the 
boys  were  seated.  One  of  the  dogs  was  in 
advance  of  the  other  and  in  a  brief  time  it 
gained  the  foot  of  the  tree. 

Without  hesitating  a  moment,  the  savage 
brute  clambered  up  the  interlaced  roots.  The 
darkness  could  not  hide  its  gleaming  eyes. 


MASTER  OF  THE  HOUNDS  131 


Taylor  almost  believed  that  he  could  feel  the 
hot  breath  of  the  savage  Judy.  He  was  hold¬ 
ing  in  readiness  the  stout  club  which  he  had 
secured  when  he  had  first  entered  the  swamp, 
and  this  was  his  sole  defense.  As  the  dog 
leaped  Taylor  thrust  the  end  of  his  club  into 
the  open  jaws.  The  dog  instantly  seized  the 
weapon  in  its  teeth,  but  at  that  moment  its 
feet  slipped  upon  the  slippery  roots  and  it 
fell,  still  clinging  tenaciously  to  the  club. 
The  shock  almost  drew  Taylor  from  his  seat 
and  to  prevent  himself  from  falling  he  was 
compelled  to  let  go  his  grasp  on  the  club. 
He  was  now  without  any  protection  from  the 
assaults  of  the  savage  brute  and  in  a  mo¬ 
ment  the  other  dog  would  join  in  the  attack. 
The  splash  of  the  dog,  which  had  seized  the 
club,  as  it  slipped  and  fell  into  the  water,  was 
followed  by  the  sounds  that  Judas  made  as 
he  now  rushed  to  the  assistance  of  his  mate. 

The  plight  of  the  boys  was  terrible  now. 
Erwin  seated  above  his  friend  was  powerless 
to  assist  him,  although  he  leaned  forward, 
striving  to  draw  Taylor  farther  up  on  the 
twisted  root.  All  thoughts  of  the  man  on 
the  bank  for  the  moment  were  ignored  as 


132  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  boys  awaited  the  next  rush  of  the  savage 
brutes  below  them. 

Growling  and  snarling,  the  two  dogs  to¬ 
gether  attempted  to  gain  a  foothold  on  the 
tangled  roots  beneath  the  large  root  on  which 
the  boys  were  seated.  The  fierce  rush  of  the 
dogs  together  sent  both  yelping  once  more 
into  the  muddy  stream.  Fortunately  for  the 
young  soldiers  there  was  but  one  place  by 
which  the  dogs  could  climb.  On  every  side 
of  the  tree  except  the  one  where  the  boys 
were  seated,  no  exposed  roots  could  be  seen. 
Doubtless  the  tree  had  been  partly  torn  from 
its  hold  in  some  storm  and  the  upturned 
root  was  left  exposed  a  few  feet  above  the 
stream. 

Once  more  the  dogs  rushed  together  in 
their  efforts  to  seize  the  crouching  boys  and 
again  the  impact  sent  both  brutes  snarling 
into  the  water  again.  One  of  them  yelped 
with  pain,  evidently  in  its  fall  having  struck 
some  sharp  point  of  a  projecting  root  or 
branch.  There  was  no  delay,  however,  in 
their  onslaughts,  and  this  time  Judy  managed 
to  secure  a  foothold  and  in  a  moment  seized 
the  bottom  of  Taylor’s  trousers  in  her  teeth. 


MASTER  OF  TEE  HOUNDS  133 


The  torn  clothing  parted  and  the  dog  fell 
back,  carrying  with  her  in  her  fall  the  piece 
of  cloth  which  had  not  been  strong  enough 
to  endure  the  strain. 

Before  the  dog  could  regain  her  place,  Ju¬ 
das  had  leaped  upon  the  mass  of  roots  and 
with  wide  open  jaws  was  almost  upon  Tay¬ 
lor,  who  had  drawn  back  as  far  as  his  seat 
on  the  root  permitted. 

“Hang  on  to  me,  Erwin!”  whispered  Tay¬ 
lor. 

Erwin  did  not  reply,  but  reaching  forward, 
he  thrust  one  arm  under  his  friend’s  left 
shoulder.  With  his  right  arm  Erwin  clung 
to  the  huge  root  above  him. 

Already  Taylor  had  slipped  his  torn  jacket 
from  its  place  and  was  holding  it  in  front  of 
him.  As  the  dog  seized  the  garment  in  his 
teeth  Taylor  hastily  threw  the  sleeves  about 
the  dog’s  neck  and  drew  them  tight.  At  that 
very  moment  Judy  leaped  to  aid  her  mate, 
but  the  force  with  which  she  struck  him  in 
her  efforts  to  obtain  a  foothold  threw  her 
from  the  mass  of  roots  and  left  Judas  sus¬ 
pended  in  the  air  with  the  sleeves  of  Taylor’s 
coat  wrapped  tightly  around  his  neck. 


134  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


The  fall  of  the  heavy  brute  almost  dragged 
Taylor  from  his  place,  but  in  some  way  he 
contrived  to  maintain  his  grasp  on  the 
sleeves,  which  he  brought  quickly  together 
and  held  with  both  hands.  The  sound  of 
wheezing  which  came  from  the  throat  of  the 
suspended  dog  plainly  showed  that  the  brute 
was  choking. 

“Hold  me,  Erwin.  Hold  tight !”  whis¬ 
pered  Taylor  savagely,  as  he  braced  his  feet 
and  threw  one  arm  around  the  root  in  such 
a  manner  that  he  still  held  to  the  coat-sleeves 
with  both  hands.  The  heavy  dog  was 
scrambling  desperately.  The  weight  was  so 
great  that  Taylor  was  almost  compelled  to 
let  go  his  hold.  The  feet  of  the  dog  touched 
the  tangled  mass  of  roots  and  almost  per¬ 
mitted  him  to  gain  a  foothold.  The  noise  of 
the  struggle  could  be  plainly  heard.  Bealiz- 
ing  that  something  was  wrong,  or  that  a  des¬ 
perate  conflict  of  some  kind  was  being  fought 
in  the  darkness  of  the  stream,  the  man  on 
shore  shouted  his  words  of  encouragement  to 
his  dogs — “Get  ’em,  Judy!  Tear  ’em  up! 
Bite  ’em!  Go  on!” 

Mindful  of  the  call,  Judy  leaped  again,  but 


The  heavy  dog  was  scrambling  desperately.  —  Page  134. 


MASTER  OF  TEE  HOUNDS  135 


her  feet  touched  the  mass  of  roots  just  as 
her  mate  had  almost  regained  a  foothold. 
Once  more  the  force  of  the  impact  sent  both 
dogs  from  the  place,  but  by  a  desperate  ef¬ 
fort  Taylor  contrived  to  retain  his  hold  and 
the  huge  brute  still  was  hanging  in  the  air. 

Taylor’s  arms  were  trembling  in  his  ef¬ 
forts.  Perspiration  was  rolling  in  streams 
down  his  face.  Erwin,  too,  was  still  cling¬ 
ing  to  his  friend’s  shoulders.  At  times  it 
almost  seemed  to  Taylor  that  his  arms  were 
being  pulled  from  their  sockets  by  the  heavy 
weight  he  was  holding.  The  frantic  strug¬ 
gles  of  the  choking  hound  continued.  Again 
and  again  Judy  leaped  to  the  aid  of  her  mate, 
but  every  time  her  efforts  resulted  in  her 
failure  to  secure  a  place  on  the  roots  and 
prevented  the  other  dog  from  gaining  even  a 
foothold. 

How  long  Taylor  would  have  been  able  to 
continue  the  unequal  struggle  he  never  knew. 
Repeatedly  he  felt  that  he  must  let  go.  His 
strength  was  not  equal  to  the  task.  He  was 
almost  in  despair  when  he  suddenly  became 
aware  that  the  dog’s  efforts  were  becoming 
less  violent.  The  sound  of  its  wheezing  and 


136  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


choking  was  less  plainly  heard.  Encouraged 
by  the  indication  that  the  end  could  not  be 
far  away,  the  desperate  young  soldier  braced 
himself  anew  and  still  held  on.  The  other 
dog,  in  nowise  discouraged,  leaped  again  and 
again  upon  the  narrow  roots,  only  to  be 
thrown  back  herself  with  every  attempt  and 
to  send  the  body  of  her  mate  away  from 
his  only  help. 

At  last  the  struggles  of  the  choking  dog 
ceased.  The  heavy  weight  of  the  body  pulled 
steadily  but  there  were  no  longer  any  efforts 
to  scramble  upon  the  roots  of  the  tree. 
Swinging  the  motionless  body  into  such  a  po¬ 
sition  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  the 
other  dog  to  leap  upon  the  place,  Taylor  still 
held  the  coat-sleeves  tightly  drawn  about  the 
neck  of  the  brute,  relying  to  a  certain  extent 
upon  the  weight  of  the  body  itself  to  assist 
him. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  whimper  from  Judy. 
Before  either  Taylor  or  Erwin  was  fully 
aware  of  what  had  occurred,  the  sounds  of 
splashing  heard  in  the  stream  indicated  that 
the  dog  had  turned  away  and  was  making 
her  way  to  the  bank. 


CHAPTER  XI 


A  HALT 

The  relief  that  came  with  the  retreat  of 
the  hound  was  so  great  that  for  a  moment 
the  two  boys,  almost  exhausted  by  their 
struggles,  gazed  at  each  other  as  if  they 
could  not  believe  the  contest  really  was 
ended.  The  splashing  of  the  dog  could  be 
plainly  heard  as  it  made  its  way  to  the  bank. 
A  moment  later  its  cries  arose  when  its  bru¬ 
tal  master  lashed  the  dog  savagely,  again 
and  again  ordering  it  back  into  the  stream. 

The  bloodhound,  however,  despite  blows 
and  kicks,  was  not  to  be  induced  to  enter  the 
water  again.  It  crouched  and  whimpered 
and  whined  on  the  shore.  Once  the  boys 
thought  it  was  about  to  plunge  into  the 
stream,  but  cowering,  it  turned  and  crawled 
back  toward  its  master — its  howls  of  pain 
showing  plainly  the  treatment  it  was  receiv¬ 
ing. 


137 


138  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Apparently  convinced  at  last  that  all  at¬ 
tempts  to  drive  Judy  again  into  the  marsh 
were  fruitless,  the  master  of  the  hounds 
stopped  and  peering  into  the  shadows  whis¬ 
tled  and  called  to  the  dog  that  had  not  re¬ 
turned.  “Heah  yo’,  Judas!  Come  back 
heah,  yo  ’  rascal !  Come  heah !  Come  heali !  ’  ’ 

The  call  served  to  arouse  Judy  as  no  blows 
had  done.  The  dog,  growling  and  whimper¬ 
ing,  stood  beside  her  master  and  for  an  in¬ 
stant  seemed  to  be  on  the  point  of  going  to 
the  aid  of  her  lost  mate.  She  did  not  step 
into  the  water,  however,  not  even  when  her 
master  repeated  his  call,  as  he  did  several 
times,  to  Judas,  who  had  failed  to  return. 

Suddenly  the  man  mounted  his  mule  and 
departed  from  the  place.  The  boys  were  able 
to  see  him  as  he  rode  across  the  open  fields, 
beating  his  steed  savagely  as  he  urged  it  to 
its  utmost  speed.  The  departure  was  so  un¬ 
expected  that  it  was  well-nigh  startling  to  the 
watching  boys,  who  were  scarcely  able  to 
trust  the  evidences  of  their  own  eyes.  And 
yet  the  man  was  in  plain  sight  until  he  dis¬ 
appeared  amidst  the  shadows  of  some  tall 
pine  trees  far  back  from  the  stream. 


A  HALT 


139 


“Come  on,”  whispered  Taylor  to  his  com¬ 
panion.  “We  must  get  away.” 

“The  dog  is  still  on  the  bank,”  suggested 
Erwin. 

“Yes.  That  means  the  man  is  coming 
back.  We  must  leave  before  he  comes.  We 
haven’t  a  minute  to  lose.  Come!  Come 
on!” 

Taylor  at  once  slid  from  his  position  on  the 
root  of  the  tree  into  the  water.  Slowly  and 
painfully  Erwin  followed  his  friend’s  exam¬ 
ple,  but  he  was  too  weary  to  question  him 
when  Taylor  led  the  way  to  the  bank  opposite 
that  on  which  the  hound  was  waiting. 

The  appearance  of  the  boys  was  greeted 
by  frantic  yelps  from  the  dog.  For  a  time 
it  seemed  as  if  she  were  about  to  leap  into 
the  muddy  stream  in  pursuit  of  them,  but 
she  kept  carefully  to  the  shore  even  when  the 
boys  gained  the  bank  on  the  opposite  side. 

Taylor  did  not  hesitate  a  moment.  As 
soon  as  his  companion  joined  him  the  tall 
young  soldier  turned  to  lead  the  way  directly 
back  toward  the  camp  from  which  they  had 
escaped.  Even  the  strange  action  of  Taylor 
was  not  questioned  by  Erwin,  who  followed 


140  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


obediently,  and  as  well  as  bis  exhausted  con¬ 
dition  permitted.  The  trees  and  banks  were 
all  confused  before  him  as  he  stumbled  for¬ 
ward.  Every  act  seemed  to  be  mechanical. 
His  hands  and  feet  were  almost  without  feel¬ 
ing.  A  cloud  seemed  to  rest  upon  the 
ground  over  which  he  was  passing. 

How  far  Taylor  had  led  the  way  he  did  not 
know,  when  suddenly  the  direction  of  the 
flight  was  changed  by  the  leader.  Once  more 
Taylor  slipped  into  the  stream  and  began  to 
move  back  in  the  direction  of  the  place  from 
which  they  had  come.  Every  step  was  tor¬ 
ture.  The  sharp  points  of  the  fallen 
branches  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  tore  or 
lacerated  Erwin’s  feet.  He  frequently  stum¬ 
bled  and  fell  forward  into  the  filthy  water, 
but  each  time  to  be  assisted  to  rise  by  Taylor, 
whose  strength  apparently  was  far  from  be¬ 
ing  gone.  The  entire  experience  was  so  like 
that  of  an  evil  dream  that  Erwin  at  times 
wondered  if  he  really  was  awake. 

In  a  brief  time  the  boys  passed  the  huge 
uptorn  cypress  which  had  provided  a  shelter 
for  them  in  the  attack  by  the  two  hounds. 
Here  Taylor  paused  a  moment  and  listened 


A  HALT 


141 


intently  while  he  peered  at  the  shore  before 
him.  Not  even  the  dog  conld  now  be  seen. 
Silence  rested  over  the  entire  region. 

The  delay  at  the  tree  was  brief  and  speed¬ 
ily  the  flight  was  resumed. 

Following  the  course  of  the  stream  the 
boys  made  their  way  forward.  Again  and 
again  Taylor  was  compelled  to  stop  and  lift 
his  friend  who  had  fallen.  Almost  savagely 
the  young  leader  urged  his  comrade  on. 
How  far  they  had  gone  neither  was  aware, 
when  at  last  it  was  painfully  evident  that 
Erwin’s  strength  was  exhausted.  He  was 
deaf  now  to  pleadings  or  threats.  Human 
nature  could  do  no  more. 

Almost  in  despair,  Taylor  peered  at  the 
bushes  along  the  banks.  Motionless,  silent, 
grim — they  seemed  to  be  conscious  of  the 
plight  of  the  desperate  boys.  Was  no  help 
to  be  found  anywhere!  Were  all  the  efforts 
to  escape  to  be  vain! 

Suddenly  Taylor  uttered  a  low  exclama¬ 
tion  and  leaving  the  side  of  his  friend  turned 
quickly  toward  some  brush  that  was  hanging 
over  the  water.  Even  then  his  actions  failed 
to  arouse  Erwin,  who  was  hardly  able  to 


142  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 

stand  erect  in  the  place  where  he  had  been 
left.  He  did  not  call,  he  scarcely  glanced  at 
Taylor  as  his  friend  darted  toward  the 
bushes. 

A  moment  afterward  when  Taylor  re¬ 
turned  he  was  poling  a  small,  flat-bottomed 
boat  he  had  discovered  concealed  underneath 
the  brush.  For  a  moment  the  sight  of  his 
friend’s  discovery  aroused  a  brief  interest 
on  Erwin’s  part.  Obediently  he  did  as  he 
was  told  when  Taylor  lifting  him  by  the 
arms  assisted  Erwin  into  the  punt. 

“Now  lie  down,”  whispered  Taylor  excit¬ 
edly.  “Lie  flat  on  your  back!  That’s 
right!”  he  added,  as  Erwin  almost  fell  upon 
the  bottom  of  the  boat.  “Keep  quiet  and 
I’ll  soon  have  us  both  well  out  of  this.” 

The  warning  was  scarcely  needed,  for  Er¬ 
win  was  soon  asleep.  Not  even  the  peril  in 
which  they  still  were  or  the  brighter  pros¬ 
pect  of  escape  which  the  finding  of  the  little 
punt  had  aroused  was  sufficient  to  keep  open 
the  eyes  of  the  exhausted  young  soldier. 

Instantly  Taylor  began  to  pole  the  un¬ 
gainly  craft.  Progress  was  still  slow  be¬ 
cause  frequently  the  boat  was  aground  in 


A  HALT 


143 


the  soft  mud  or  held  fast  by  the  interlacing 
roots  that  abounded  in  the  bed  of  the  stream. 
Still,  it  was  progress  and  the  thought  was 
inspiring.  Best  of  all,  too,  was  the  knowl¬ 
edge  that  the  boat  left  slight  traces  of  its 
movements.  Every  foot  now  meant  an  add¬ 
ed  distance  between  the  escaping  prisoners 
and  the  prison  pen  from  which  they  had 
fled. 

The  hours  passed  slowly  and  at  times  even 
the  iron  muscles  of  Taylor  demanded  rest. 
At  such  times  he  listened  for  sounds  of  pur¬ 
suit.  The  distant  baying  of  hounds  was 
what  he  feared  most  of  all.  The  moon  indi¬ 
cated  that  the  night  was  well  gone.  The 
coming  of  the  morning  would  demand  a 
change  in  their  plans.  Food,  too,  and  water 
to  drink  must  be  secured.  Already  Taylor’s 
lips  were  parched  and  his  arms  were  trem¬ 
bling  under  the  strain  of  the  poling. 

Still  the  determined  boy  pushed  the  crude 
boat  forward.  His  progress  in  places  was 
comparatively  rapid.  In  others  he  was  held 
back  by  roots  and  his  utmost  strength  was 
required  to  free  the  boat  from  the  tangled 


mass. 


144  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


At  last  the  first  faint  streaks  of  the  dawn 
appeared.  Taylor  glanced  down  at  Erwin, 
who  still  was  sleeping  on  the  bottom  of  the 
boat.  The  time  had  come  when  a  change  in 
their  plans  was  imperative.  Food  and  drink 
presented  problems  that  no  longer  could  be 
evaded. 

For  a  moment  Taylor  hesitated.  Should 
he  send  his  boat  ashore  and  arouse  his 
sleeping  companion  ?  Their  peril  might  be  in¬ 
creased  by  any  attempt  to  advance  in  the  day¬ 
time  and  the  coming  day  was  not  to  be 
endured  without  food  and  drink  of  some  kind. 
The  light  in  the  eastern  sky  was  becoming 
brighter.  Soon  sunrise  would  be  at  hand 
and  with  its  appearance  new  and  perhaps 
more  serious  problems  must  he  faced. 

Taylor  slowly  guided  the  little  boat  to  the 
shore  where  the  rank  hushes  were  growing 
far  out  over  the  water.  There  he  pushed 
the  punt  beneath  the  overhanging  branches, 
glanced  again  at  his  sleeping  friend,  placed 
the  pole  carefully  on  the  bottom  and  then 
stepped  ashore.  If  Erwin  by  any  chance  was 
awakened  during  his  absence  the  sight  of  the 
pole  as  well  as  the  position  of  the  boat,  he 


A  HALT 


145 


thought,  would  at  once  inform  him  of  the 
fact  that  his  friend  had  departed  but  had 
not  deserted.  Unquestionably  Erwin  would 
await  his  return.  Nor  did  Taylor  plan  to 
be  gone  long.  His  purpose  now  was  to  dis¬ 
cover  what  might  be  near  the  little  stream. 
Stepping  cautiously  ashore,  the  young  soldier 
peered  about  him  in  the  dawning  light. 

When  Taylor  had  withdrawn  from  the 
hank  he  found  himself  on  the  borders  of  a 
great  cornfield.  Much  of  the  crop  had  been 
cut,  but  the  high  stalks  still  standing  gave 
almost  the  appearance  of  sentinels  waving 
their  arms  in  warning.  Loose  piles  of  stalks 
that  had  been  cut  were  also  to  be  seen  here 
and  there  in  the  field.  In  the  distance  what 
looked  like  low  huts  suggested  the  presence 
of  the  quarters  of  negroes.  He  turned  to 
look  for  the  “big  house”  of  the  proprietors 
of  the  plantation — for  such  he  judged  the 
land  to  be.  A  mass  of  high  trees  in  the 
distance  might  surround  such  a  place,  he 
thought.  Glancing  again  at  the  low  build¬ 
ings  he  had  already  seen  across  the  field  and 
concluding  that  they  were  far  enough  from 
the  residence,  which  perhaps  was  concealed 


146  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


by  the  trees,  to  enable  him  to  gain  them  with¬ 
out  being  discovered,  he  began  to  make  his 
way  across  the  cornfield. 

He  was  proceeding  cautiously  across  the 
field,  for  the  fear  of  discovery  was  still  strong 
upon  him.  Frequently  he  paused  to  peer  all 
about  him  to  make  certain  his  movements 
were  not  observed.  He  darted  from  one  pile 
of  cornstalks  to  another,  stopping  at  each  to 
look  over  the  ground  before  he  advanced 
further. 

Taylor  had  proceeded  half  the  distance 
across  the  field,  which  he  estimated  covered 
at  least  fifteen  acres,  when  he  abruptly 
stopped.  Approaching  from  the  huts  was  a 
man.  The  young  soldier  stared  excitedly  at 
the  moving  figure  and  at  once  decided  that 
he  was  not  mistaken.  There  was  another  man 
besides  himself  in  the  cornfield  and  without 
question  he  was  coming  toward  him.  Had 
he  himself  been  seen!  The  question  was  up¬ 
permost  in  the  young  soldier’s  thoughts  as 
he  fled  to  the  shelter  of  a  nearby  pile  of  corn¬ 
stalks.  Crouching  behind  it  he  peered  forth 
at  the  stranger.  The  light  was  not  yet  clear 
enough  to  enable  Taylor  to  perceive  who  or 


A  HALT 


147 


wliat  the  man  was.  If  he  himself  had  not 
been  seen,  then  his  safest  course,  Taylor  de¬ 
cided,  was  to  remain  in  hiding  until  he  had 
ascertained  who  the  other  man  was  and  what 
he  was  doing  in  the  field  at  that  early  hour. 

The  approaching  man  certainly  was  acting 
strangely,  Taylor  observed.  At  intervals 
the  man  stopped  and  flung  his  arms  about 
him  or  extended  them  in  an  attitude  of 
prayer  or  as  if  he  were  beseeching  some  one. 
No  other  person  was  to  be  seen  in  the  field, 
however,  and  Taylor’s  perplexity  increased 
as  the  man  approached  the  hiding  place. 

As  the  man  drew  nearer,  Taylor  became 
aware  that  the  stranger  was  a  young  negro — 
apparently  not  much  older  than  he.  The  ne¬ 
gro  ’s  actions  were  strange,  too,  and  different 
from  those  in  which  he  had  at  first  engaged. 
He  was  peering  about  him  almost  as  if  he 
was  expecting  to  find  someone. 

The  first  thought  in  Taylor’s  mind  as  he 
excitedly  watched  the  approaching  negro  was 
that  he  himself  must  have  been  seen.  Still, 
the  black  man  did  not  turn  directly  toward 
Taylor’s  place  of  concealment.  He  was  not 
more  than  twenty  feet  away  now.  Suddenly 


148  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Taylor,  acting  upon  an  impulse  that  had 
seized  upon  him,  stepped  from  behind  the 
stalks  and  in  a  low  voice  hailed  the  young 
negro. 

“Are  you  looking  for  me!”  called  Taylor. 

The  black  man  stopped  abruptly  and  in 
terror  gazed  at  the  unexpected  sight.  His 
teeth  were  chattering  in  his  fright  and  for  an 
instant  Taylor  expected  to  see  the  negro 
turn  and  flee. 

“Are  you  looking  for  me!”  Taylor  again 
called  quietly. 

“Who  d-d-dat?”  stammered  the  terrified 
black  man. 

“A  friend.” 

“Is  y-y-o  de  man  what  mas’  Tom  done 
sent?” 

“Did  he  tell  you  to  meet  me  here?” 

“Y-yas,  suh.” 

“Well,  here  I  am.’ 

“Y-y-yas,  suh,  Ah  see  yo’  is,  suh.” 

“Come  up  nearer.  I  can’t  talk  to  you  so 
far  away,”  suggested  Taylor. 

The  negro  reluctantly  did  as  he  was  bid¬ 
den,  but  a  nearer  view  of  the  young  soldier 
apparently  increased  instead  of  relieving  his 


A  HALT 


149 


alarm.  He  gazed  at  Taylor  in  manifest  ter¬ 
ror.  The  light  of  the  dawn  was  stronger 
now  and  the  young  soldier  could  see  that  the 
negro’s  eyes  were  rolling  and  his  body  was 
trembling.  The  sight  caused  Taylor  to 
laugh,  but  his  feeling  of  amusement  instantly 
departed  when  the  negro  with  a  scream 
turned  and  fled  so  swiftly  across  the  corn¬ 
field  that  in  a  brief  time  he  disappeared  from 
sight. 


CHAPTER  XII 


THE  CABIN 

Before  Taylor  was  able  to  discover  the 
cause  of  the  sudden  departure  of  the  negro, 
the  black  man  had  disappeared  from  sight 
and  the  young  soldier  was  left  alone  in  the 
cornfield.  The  feeling  of  amusement  which 
the  terror  of  his  visitor  at  first  had  aroused 
now  gave  place  to  one  of  perplexity.  What 
was  to  be  done?  The  sun  was  even  now 
creeping  above  the  eastern  horizon.  In  a 
brief  time  day  would  be  at  hand.  The  in¬ 
creasing  light  would  render  his  position  still 
more  perilous  and  Taylor  looked  all  about 
him,  hoping  to  discover  some  solution  to  his 
perplexing  problem. 

Behind  the  clump  of  trees  in  the  distance 
he  could  now  see  the  outlines  of  the  large 
rambling  white  house  which  doubtless  was 
the  mansion  of  the  proprietor  of  the  planta¬ 
tion.  Not  far  from  the  house  were  strag¬ 
gling  barns,  and  beyond  them  were  the  white- 

150 


THE  CABIN 


151 


washed  cabins — the  abodes  of  the  negroes. 
As  yet  not  a  man  was  to  be  seen  about  the 
place. 

The  conditions  soon  would  be  different, 
Taylor  thought.  How  far  he  was  from  the 
prison  camp  he  had  no  means  of  knowing. 
If  he  were  to  judge  by  his  feelings  and  the 
appearance  of  his  blistered  hands,  he  and  Er¬ 
win  might  have  come  many  miles  in  their 
flight.  He  was  not  sanguine,  however,  that 
they  were  beyond  the  possibility  of  pur¬ 
suit.  In  the  fear  which  the  thought 
aroused,  Taylor  decided  at  once  to  make  his 
way  to  the  cabins,  which  were  not  more  than 
a  hundred  yards  away.  He  must  find  help, 
he  must  trust  some  one  and  the  negroes  cer¬ 
tainly  would  be  less  likely  to  refuse  him  aid 
than  would  the  people  dwelling  in  the  ‘  ‘  man¬ 
sion.” 

Instantly  deciding  to  adopt  the  suggestion, 
Taylor  at  once  began  to  walk  toward  the  low 
cabins.  He  was  still  fearful  that  his  move¬ 
ments  might  be  seen  by  his  foes  and  accord¬ 
ingly  ran  from  one  pile  of  cornstalks  to  an¬ 
other,  stopping  a  moment  at  each  to  make 
certain  he  had  not  been  discovered.  In  spite 


152  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


of  his  frequent  stops,  however,  his  progress 
was  not  slow,  and  in  a  brief  time  he  arrived 
at  the  place  he  was  seeking. 

Boldly  advancing  to  the  open  door  of  a 
cabin  near  him,  he  rapped  loudly.  He  could 
hear  some  one  moving  in  the  rear  of  the 
building  and  in  a  brief  time  an  old  gray¬ 
headed  negro  man  appeared  in  the  doorway. 
As  yet  Taylor  had  not  selected  any  plan  of 
action,  having  decided  to  trust  to  circum¬ 
stances  to  aid  him.  The  expression  of  con¬ 
sternation  or  alarm  on  the  face  of  the  black 
man  at  once  caused  the  desperate  young 
soldier  to  step  inside  the  hut  even  before  he 
was  invited  to  enter. 

“Good  morning,  Uncle,”  said  Taylor,  try¬ 
ing  to  speak  calmly. 

“Mo him’,  sub,”  replied  the  negro  dubi¬ 
ously. 

“Can  you  give  me  some  breakfast V9 

“Ah  dunno,  suh.  Ah  reck’n  Ah — ” 

“That’s  good  of  you,”  broke  in  Taylor 
quickly.  “You  see  I  didn’t  want  to  disturb 
the  people  in  the  big  house.  It’s  too  early 
to  do  that.  I  knew  you  would  be  stirring, 
so  I  stopped  here.  I’m  almost  starved  and 


THE  CABIN 


153 


if  you  can  get  me  something  to  eat  right 
away  I’ll  be  grateful.” 

The  old  colored  man  turned  questioningly 
to  the  doorway  in  the  rear  of  the  room,  and, 
glancing  in  the  direction,  Taylor  saw  a  large 
black  woman  standing  there  apparently  re¬ 
garding  him  with  not  very  friendly  feel¬ 
ings. 

‘ 4 Good  morning,”  exclaimed  Taylor.  “I 
was  just  explaining  to  your — your  husband,” 
he  added  after  a  slight  hesitation,  for  the  man 
apparently  was  much  older  than  the  big 
woman  before  him.  “I  was  just  explaining 
to  him  that  I  was  hungry  and  wanted  some 
breakfast.  I  don’t  want  to  disturb  the  fam¬ 
ily  in  the  big  house  yet.  ’  ’ 

“ Humph!”  sniffed  the  black  woman,  her 
hands  resting  upon  her  hips  and  her  eyes 
betraying  no  friendly  interest.  “Yo’  don’ 
look  lak  yo’  disturb  anybody  ’ceptin’  de 
crows.  Whar  yo  ’-all  come  fum  ?  ’  ’ 

It  was  the  question  Taylor  had  expected 
and  feared.  “You  don’t  want  a  man  to  keep 
on  driving  Yankee  prisoners,  do  you?”  he  in¬ 
quired.  “I  can’t  do  it  any  more.” 

The  woman  sniffed  and  did  not  change  her 


154  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


attitude  or  position.  “How  cum  yo’-all 
lieah  ?  ’  ’ 

44I  told  you.  I  couldn’t  stand  it  any 
longer.” 

44Yo’  run  away?” 

4 4 Why,  yes,  after  a  fashion.” 

44Wha’  foh  yo’  wan’  t’  see  de  white  folks 
den  ? ’  ’ 

44I  haven’t  seen  them  yet.  I  have  come  to 
you.  Will  you  help  me?” 

The  negress  sniffed  disdainfully  as  she 
turned  to  her  husband  and  said,  44Dere,  now, 
yo’  wuffless,  yo’  see  wha’  yo’  done!  Dey’s 
jes’  ’nough  co’n  meal  lef’  foh  t’  mak  one  lit’l 
hoecake.  Yo’  tak’  de  bread  outen  de  moufs 
of  de  chilluns  an’  de  sufferin’  saints  t’  gib 
it  to  trash!” 

4 4 Chile!  chile!”  remonstrated  the  old  ne¬ 
gro— 

44Do’n  4 chile’  me,  yo’  no- ’count  nigger! 
Co’se  Ah’m  goin’  t’  gib  de  man  er  bite.  Ah’d 
gib  de  debbil  wlia’  he  done  ask  foh.  Dis 
yere  man  he  look  lak  he  some  relashun  t’  de 
old  Sat’n  hisself.  Dere,  now,  yo’  wuffless 
’Rastus,  yo’  bettah  tak’  dis  yere  man  outen 
de  ya’d  an’  tak’  a  hoe  ter  ’im.” 


THE  CABIN 


155 


Tlie  woman  turned  sharply  away  and  Tay¬ 
lor  at  once  concluded  that  her  tongue  was 
sharper  than  her  feelings  toward  liiin  and 
that  she  was  about  to  prepare  him  something 
to  eat.  Rejoiced  at  the  prospect,  he  re¬ 
quested  the  negro  man  to  provide  him  with 
some  water  to  drink  and  then  to  show  him 
where  he  might  wash. 

As  if  to  make  partial  amends  for  the  scant 
welcome  his  wife  had  given  their  morning 
visitor,  the  old  man  brought  Taylor  a  gourd 
filled  with  water.  The  young  soldier  did  not 
return  it  until  it  was  empty.  Never  before 
had  water  been  so  sweet  to  his  taste. 

Accompanying  the  black  man  to  the  rear 
of  the  little  log  cabin,  Taylor  found  a  bucket 
of  water  near  the  corner  of  the  house  and 
at  once  began  his  ablutions.  His  body  was 
coated  with  mud.  As  he  labored  to  remove  it 
he  understood  why  his  appearance  had  re¬ 
pelled  the  wife  of  ’Rastus.  Coatless,  hatless, 
shoeless,  his  clothing  torn  and  worn,  his  hair 
long  and  unkempt — his  appearance  of  itself 
would  have  been  sufficient  to  startle  a 
stranger,  but  when  a  thick  coating  of  mud 
covered  even  his  hands  and  his  face  he  real- 


156  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


ized  how  difficult  it  would  be  for  any  one  who 
saw  him  to  believe  that  he  was  anything  like 
what  he  had  represented  himself  to  be. 

It  was  a  long  time  before  he  re-entered  the 
cabin.  As  he  passed  through  the  doorway 
the  odor  of  the  hoecake  which  the  negress  had 
been  preparing  seemed  to  him  more  tantaliz¬ 
ing  than  any  he  had  ever  known.  He  was 
ravenously  hungry.  Perhaps  the  expression 
of  suffering  was  more  apparent  in  his  face, 
now  that  its  coating  of  mud  had  been  re¬ 
moved.  At  all  events,  the  black  woman  was 
less  ungracious  as  she  set  her  hoecake  before 
her  guest  and  watched  him,  a  smile  of  satis¬ 
faction  appearing  on  her  face  as  he  fell  rav¬ 
enously  upon  the  food  she  had  prepared. 

Suddenly  Taylor  looked  up  and  said:  “I 
forgot.  I  don’t  want  to  eat  everything  you 
have  and  you  told  your  husband  this  was  all 
the  food  you  had  in  your  house.” 

“G’wan  wid  yo’  hoecake,  man.  Nebber 
yo’  min’  wha’  Ah  done  tole  ’Rastus.  Ah 
spec’  Ah  hab  ter  gib  him  ’structions  er  he 
nebber  stop  eatin’  dis  yere  hoecake.  Heali, 
come — ” 


The  expression  of  alarm  on  Taylor’s  face 


THE  CABIN 


157 


did  not  escape  the  woman  when  her  visitor 
almost  started  from  his  seat  as  a  young  ne¬ 
gro  man  entered  the  room.  Instantly  Tay¬ 
lor  perceived  that  the  newcomer  was  the  man 
he  had  seen  in  the  cornfield  who  had  fled  in 
terror  from  his  presence.  The  young  negro 
glanced  questioningly  at  the  woman  and 
though  Taylor  was  not  able  to  see  what  she 
indicated,  yet  instantly  the  bearing  and  at¬ 
titude  of  the  man  changed.  He  did  not  man¬ 
ifest  any  alarm  as  he  passed  through  the 
room.  Indeed,  Taylor  had  no  difficulty  in 
concluding  as  he  peered  at  him  that  the  young 
negro  was  the  son  of  the  woman  who  was 
feeding  him. 

“Ah  reckon  yo’-all  might  lak  bacon ?”  sug¬ 
gested  the  negress  to  Taylor. 

“I  did  once,”  replied  Taylor  promptly. 
‘  ‘  It  has  been  so  long  since  I  have  tasted  any 
that  I  am  not  sure  now.  I’d  like  to  have  a 
chance  to  try  myself.” 

The  woman  laughed  and  going  to  a  corner 
of  the  room  lifted  a  board  in  the  floor  and 
drew  from  its  hiding  place  a  side  of  bacon. 
In  a  brief  time  she  had  cut  several  slices 
which  she  broiled  on  the  fire  which  was  burn- 


158  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


ing  on  the  stone  fireplace  and  then  she  placed 
the  steaming  viands  before  her  visitor. 

“You  are  good  to  me,”  murmured  Taylor, 
as  he  once  more  began  to  eat  ravenously. 

Again  the  woman  laughed,  as  she  stood 
watching  her  almost  famished  guest  in  his 
eagerness  to  dispose  of  the  tempting  viands 
which  had  been  set  before  him. 

Almost  with  remorse  Taylor  now  thought 
of  Erwin  whom  he  had  left  sleeping  the  sleep 
of  exhaustion  in  the  punt.  He  must  some¬ 
how  secure  food  for  his  friend,  whose  plight 
was  far  worse  than  his  own.  How  he  was 
to  accomplish  this  without  betraying  himself 
to  the  friendly  negroes  was  a  problem  diffi¬ 
cult  of  solution. 

At  this  moment  both  the  young  negro  and 
his  father  re-entered  the  room. 

“How  yo’-all  lake  Camp  So ’gum?”  in¬ 
quired  the  younger  man. 

“I  don’t  like  it.  I  told  your  mother  I 
couldn’t  stand  it  any  longer,”  said  Taylor 
hastily,  striving  to  ascertain  from  the  expres¬ 
sion  on  the  black  man’s  face  whether  or  no  he 
suspected  his  visitor  of  being  an  escaping 
prisoner. 


THE  CABIN 


159 


“All  don’  reck’n  many  ob  de  Yankees 
lak  it.” 

“No.” 

“Is  yo’-all  alone!” 

“What  makes  you  think  I  am  not!” 

“Co’se  dey  mos’  gen’ly  dosen’t  ’scape  dat 
er  way.” 

“Do  you  think  I  am  a — that  I  escaped!” 

“Ah  sho’ly  does,”  grinned  the  negro. 

“Yo’-all  is  no  sojer  wif  Mars’  Tom,”  sug¬ 
gested  the  woman. 

“What  makes  you  think  I  am  not!” 

“Yo’  talks  des  lak  a  Yankee.” 

‘ 1  How  do  you  know !  Have  you  ever  heard 
Yankees  talk  before!” 

The  young  negro  grinned,  displaying  his 
white  teeth,  but  did  not  reply. 

“Suppose  I  am  a  prisoner,”  suggested 
Taylor.  “You  will  help  me  get  away,  if  I 
am,  won ’t  you !  ’  ’ 

“Yo’  is  come  ter  de  right  place,”  said  the 
woman  promptly.  There  was  no  question  as 
to  her  interest  and  cordiality.  In  the  feeling 
of  relief  that  came  with  her  words  Taylor  re¬ 
solved  to  tell  them  more.  In  a  vivid  manner 
he  described  the  life  of  the  prisoners  in  the 


160  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


camp.  He  also  described  the  home  from 
which  he  had  come  and  told  of  the  sorrow 
and  anxiety  there.  He  also  related  stories 
of  suffering  in  other  prisons  than  Camp  Sor¬ 
ghum  and  gradually  led  up  to  the  story  of  his 
own  escape  with  Erwin.  When  he  told  of  the 
attack  made  by  the  bloodhounds  the  eyes  of 
his  listeners  almost  gleamed  in  their  excite¬ 
ment. 

“Da’s  de  way  wif  de  dawgs,”  said  the 
woman.  “Dey  is  brave  when  dey  is  toged- 
der.  When  dey  is  des’  one  it  seems  lak  dey 
is  sholy  de  biggest  cowards.” 

‘  ‘  Then  that  was  why  after  we  killed  one  the 
other  ran  away,  was  it?”  inquired  Taylor. 

“Yaas,  suli.  Da’s  des’  de  way  wif  ’em 
all.  Dey  is  terr’ble  when  dey  is  in  ’er  pack, 
but  when  dey  is  des’  one,  pears  lak  dey  is 
pow’ful  wuffless,  mos’  lak’  Rastus  yere.” 

The  old  colored  man  nodded  his  head  em¬ 
phatically  several  times  almost  as  if  he  re¬ 
ceived  the  words  of  his  wife  as  a  compliment. 

“How  far  is  Camp  Sorghum  from  here!” 
asked  Taylor. 

“Hit’s  a  right  sma’t  way,  suh,”  answered 
the  woman. 


THE  CABIN 


161 


“How  many  miles ?” 

“Hits  des  ’bout  ’s  fur  as  from  yere  to  Mis’ 
Sallie’s,  Ah  reck’n.” 

“Have  you  ever  been  there?” 

“Mis’  Sallie’s?  Bress  yo’  po’  ha’t,  suh, 
’pears  lak  Ah  done — ” 

“No,  to  Columbia.  To  the  prison  pen,” 
interrupted  Taylor. 

“Ah  is,”  spoke  up  the  young  negro 
promptly.  “Ah  done  went  once  wif  Mas’ 
Tom.  Ah  seed  de  sojer  men  an’  de  drums 
an’  de  guns — ” 

“Do  you  know  how  far  it  is  from  here?” 

“Ah  des’  can’t  say  ’dreckly,  suh.  Ah 
reck’n  hit’s  a  right  sma’t  way.” 

Hopeless  of  learning  the  distance  he  and 
his  comrade  had  come  in  their  escape,  Taylor 
abandoned  the  effort.  He  felt  reasonably 
certain  that  the  negroes  would  not  betray 
him.  At  once  he  decided  that  he  must  strive 
to  secure  some  food  for  Erwin  and  return 
to  the  place  where  he  had  left  his  friend 
asleep. 

“I  am  sorry  I  can’t  pay  you  for  what  you 
have  done  for  me.  I  haven’t  a  cent  on  my 
person.  If  you  will  let  me  have  a  little  food 


162  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


to  take  to  my  friend  I'll  try  sometime  to — ” 
Taylor  ceased  abruptly  as  the  woman  has¬ 
tily  arose  and  ran  to  the  door.  In  a  moment 
she  returned,  her  eyes  shining  in  her  excite¬ 
ment,  as  she  exclaimed  in  a  fierce  whisper, 
“Yere  come  Mas’  Tom  an’  two  sojer  men  is 
wif  ’im!” 


CHAPTER  XIII 


NEBO’s  CUNNING 

Startled  by  the  words  of  the  negress,  Tay¬ 
lor  leaped  to  his  feet  and  looked  through  the 
open  doorway.  Not  far  away,  plainly  ap¬ 
proaching  the  cabin,  were  three  men,  two  of 
whom  were  clad  in  the  Confederate  uniform, 
as  the  woman  had  said. 

The  sight  of  his  foes  instantly  caused  Tay¬ 
lor  to  turn  and  start  toward  the  rear  of  the 
house.  Flight  from  the  place  would  in¬ 
stantly  be  discovered,  as  he  was  well  aware, 
but  to  remain  and  meet  the  three  men  was 
not  to  be  thought  of.  In  his  excitement  the 
young  soldier  was  eager  merely  to  avoid  be¬ 
ing  discovered  where  he  then  was.  The  fu¬ 
ture  must  be  met  as  circumstances  might  de¬ 
mand. 

Before  he  crossed  the  room,  however,  the 
black  woman  quickly  seizing  him  by  the 
shoulder,  excitedly  whispered,  “Don’  do  dat. 
In  yere  is  de  place  foh  yoM” 

163 


164  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Lifting  the  trapdoor  in  the  floor  she  thrust 
Taylor  into  the  place  from  which  she  had 
taken  the  bacon  that  she  had  prepared  for  his 
breakfast.  In  a  brief  time  the  young  soldier 
crowded  himself  into  the  narrow  space,  and 
the  door  above  him  was  closed  just  as  the  men 
entered  the  hut. 

For  an  instant  Taylor  crouched  trem¬ 
blingly  in  his  hiding  place,  fearful  that  he 
had  been  seen ;  but  when  the  three  men  came 
into  the  room  he  was  soon  aware  that  his 
presence  was  unknown  to  the  visitors.  He 
could  hear  what  was  said  and  was  listening 
intently. 

“Good  mornin’,  Aunt  Dinah, ”  said  the  man 
whom  the  negroes  had  called  “Mas’  Tom.” 

“Mo’nin’,  Mas’  Tom,”  responded  the 
black  woman  quietly. 

“Haven’t  seen  any  prowlin’  Yanks  this 
mornin  ’,  have  you,  Aunt  Dinah  1  ’  ’ 

“Wha’  foh  any  dem  Yanks  come  yeref” 
she  demanded  sharply. 

“I  don’t  know,”  laughed  Tom.  “Some 
have  got  away  from  the  camp  and  the  whole 
country  is  on  the  lookout  for  them.” 


In  a  brief  time  the  young  soldier  crowded  iiimself  into 
the  narrow  space.  — Page  164. 


NEBO’S  CUNNING 


165 


“Wha’  foil  yo’-all  let  ’em  get  away,  suh?” 

“I  didn’t  let  them.  They  helped  them¬ 
selves.  They’ll  be  found,  though;  they  al¬ 
ways  are.  My  friends  and  I  are  looking 
about  the  plantation  just  to  make  sure  there 
aren’t  any  hidin’  hereabout.  I  want  to  pro¬ 
tect  my  people.  Some  of  the  Yanks  have 
cloven  feet  and  sharp  ears.  If  they  come 
yere  they  might  take  you  right  up  the  chim¬ 
ney  with  ’em.” 

“Ah  reck’n  de  Yanks  ’d  have  er  right 
sma’t  load  ter  carry  if  dey  tried  ter  take 
me,”  sniffed  Dinah. 

‘  ‘  I  reckon  any  one  ’d  have  his  hands  full,  ’  ’ 
laughed  the  young  man.  4  4  Now,  Aunt  Dinah, 
have  you  seen  any  Yanks  about  our  place 
yere?” 

“Dis  mo’nin’?” 

“Yes,  or  any  time.” 

“Does  dey  hah  cloven  feet?” 

“Usually;  but  you-all  can’t  be  sure,  be¬ 
cause  their  shoes  might  hide  ’em.” 

“Ah  reck’n  Ah  ain’t  seen  no  Yanks  dis  yere 
day.  ’Pears  lak  Ah  done  see  some  ’nodder 
day,  Mas’  Tom.” 


166  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“When  was  that!” 

“Ah  caint  disremembah.  Tears  lak  hit 
was  las’  week.” 

“Where  did  you  see  them!  What  were 
they  doing!” 

“Dey  was  runnin’,  suli.  Runnin’  from  de 
dawgs.” 

“Did  they  stop  yere!” 

“  Teed  dey  didn’t,”  sniffed  Aunt  Dinah. 
“Wlia’  foh  dey  stop  yere  w’en  Ah  had  de 
rollin’pin  in  m’  ban’s!” 

“You  say  you  haven’t  seen  any  strange 
men  this  mornin’!”  demanded  Tom  some¬ 
what  impatiently. 

“No,  suh.  Is  yo’  heah  enny,  Tastus!” 
Dinah  demanded  of  her  husband,  who  had 
been  silent  throughout  the  interview. 

“No,  suh.  No,  suh,”  mumbled  the  negro. 
“  Tears  lak  Ah  don’  see  nothin’  no  mo’. 
Not  eben  er  hoecake,”  he  added  disconso¬ 
lately. 

“Where’s  Nebo!”  inquired  the  young  man 
suddenly,  as  he  apparently  for  the  first  time 
became  aware  that  Aunt  Dinah’s  son  was  not 
in  the  cabin. 

“Dat  Nebo  he’s  mos’  wuffless  es  white 


NEBO’S  CUNNING 


167 


trash/  ’  said  the  black  woman  in  apparent 
scorn.  “Caint  depen ’  on  him  no  mo’,  Mas’ 
Tom.” 

“Why  not!” 

“He’s  de  mos’  obsiqnies  nigger  on  de 
place.  Jes’  now  he’s  so  full  ob  de  notion 
what  he  got  dat  Mas’  Tom  is  ’pendin’  on  him 
ter  pint  de  way  fer  de  white  fo’ks  what  Mas’ 
Tom’s  done  spectin’,  dat  he  caint  do  er  ’nod- 
der  thing.  His  po’  pap’s  all  doubled  hup  wif 
de  misery.  ’Rastus  nebber  was  so  no  count 
as  he’s  been  since  dis  yere  las’  ’tack  wlia’s 
took  him.  Las’  night  Ah  had  ter  get  de  rab¬ 
bit’s  foot  an’  de  conjure-weed — ” 

“Yes.  Yes,  Aunt  Dinah.  That’s  all 
right.  But  where  is  Nebo  now!” 

“Ah  don’  tole  yo’,  Mas’  Tom,  hit’s  shore 
strange  ’bout  dat  Nebo  Macedonia  Petrol ’um. 
He’s  de  mos’  no- ’count  nigger  in  all  de  pahts 
yere  ’bout.  Wha’  wif  his  new  coon  dawg — ” 
4  ‘  But  where  is  he  now !  ’  ’ 

“Ah  dunno,  Mas’  Tom.  Ah  clar  ter  good¬ 
ness  ef  yo’-all  fin’  him  Ah  wish  yo’d  gib  him 
er  whippin’  or  set  de  dawgs  on  ’im  er  do 
so’ffin  wha ’ll  mak  dat  sma’t  Ellick  des  sta’t 
his  lazy  bones  ter  de  woodpile.  He  des  leab 


168  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


his  po’  ma’  ter  cut  de  wood  an’  wait  on  ’Ras- 
tus  an’  try  ter  mak  er  hoecake  w’en  der  des 
aint  er  speck  er  co’n  meal  ter  be  had,  Mas’ 
-Tom.  Ilowcome  ’spectable  woman  lak  me 
ter  hab  sech  a  good-fo  ’-nothing  wuffless  f o  ’  a 
son  beats  me.  ’Pears  lak  be  mos’  resemble- 
ful  ob  ’Rastus — ” 

6 ‘Have  you  seen  any  strangers  this  morn- 
in’?”  interrupted  the  young  man  sharply. 

“No,  sub.  All  ain’  seen  no  w’ite  folks.” 

“Sure?” 

“Das  de  truf,  Mas’  Tom.”  Aunt  Dinah 
spoke  soberly  now,  realizing  that  her  young 
master’s  growing  impatience  was  no  longer 
to  be  ignored. 

“Have  you  seen  any,  ’Rastus?”  Tom  de¬ 
manded  of  the  old  colored  man. 

“Ah  ain’  been  outen  de  do’  dis  mawnin’.” 

“No  one  has  come  yere?” 

“Ah  ain’  seen  er  soul,  Mas’  Tom.  Wha’ 
kin’  er  man  was  bit,  Mas’  Tom,  wha’  yo’-all 
was  spectin’  fob  ter  fin’?” 

“Anybody.  We’ll  take  a  look  around  the 
cabins,”  said  Tom  to  bis  companions.  In  ap¬ 
parent  indifference  Aunt  Dinah  continued  in 


NEBO’S  CUNNING 


169 


her  tasks  in  the  room,  barely  glancing  at  the 
three  men,  who  she  was  aware  were  peering 
about  them  almost  as  if  they  expected  to  find 
some  place  of  concealment  in  the  room  itself. 
’Rastus  was  groaning  with  a  fresh  attack  of 
his  ‘ ‘misery”  and  Nebo  was  nowhere  to  be 
seen. 

Apparently  satisfied  that  no  Yankee  was 
hidden  in  the  cabin,  the  three  men  speedily 
departed,  the  young  white  man  first  bidding 
Aunt  Dinah  to  send  her  son  to  the  “big 
house”  as  soon  as  he  returned. 

The  indifference  of  ’Rastus  and  the  tasks 
of  his  wife  were  speedily  forgotten  at  the  de¬ 
parture  of  the  men  as  they  both  with  shining 
eyes  watched  the  trio  as  they  went  among  the 
cabins.  Once  Aunt  Dinah  lifted  the  trap¬ 
door  in  the  floor  a  few  inches  and  leaning  low, 
whispered,  “Yo’  is  all  right.  Ah ’ll  let  yo’ 
know  ef  de  sojers  come  back  ergain.”  The 
door  was  instantly  restored  to  its  place  be¬ 
fore  Taylor  could  reply. 

A  half  hour  afterward  Tom  and  his  com¬ 
panions  returned.  For  a  moment  they  stood 
outside  the  cabin,  talking  earnestly  together, 


170  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 

but  in  sncli  low  tones  that  even  Aunt  Dinah 
with  all  her  efforts  was  not  able  to  hear  what 
was  said. 

Apparently  one  of  the  soldiers  had  his  way, 
for  all  three  men  turned  and  started  across 
the  cornfield,  walking  toward  the  creek  in  the 
very  direction  of  the  place  where  Taylor  had 
left  his  exhausted  companion.  The  sight  of 
the  departing  men  at  once  aroused  a  keen 
excitement  in  the  mind  of  Aunt  Dinah. 
Rushing  to  the  trapdoor  she  lifted  it  and 
called  sharply  to  Taylor:  “Dey’s  gone  ter 
de  creek.” 

Cramped  in  his  narrow  quarters,  Taylor 
was  obliged  to  grasp  the  extended  hand  of 
the  negress  before  he  could  regain  a  place 
on  the  floor.  The  woman’s  words  had  been 
sufficiently  disturbing  to  cause  him  to  dart  to 
the  door.  Peering  cautiously  from  his  shel¬ 
ter,  Taylor  could  see  the  men  as  they  appar¬ 
ently  were  moving  toward  the  one  place 
which  above  all  others  he  was  eager  for  them 
to  avoid. 

‘  ‘  They  are  going  straight  to  the  boat !  ”  he 
said  savagely. 

“Wha*  boat?” 


NEBO’S  CUNNING 


171 


“The  punt.  My  friend  is  in  it.  It’s  un¬ 
der  the  bushes  on  the  bank.” 

“Whar’s  dat  Nebo?”  said  Aunt  Dinah,  at 
once  aroused  by  Taylor’s  words.  “He’s  so 
full  er  his  notion  er  makin’  er  preacher  outen 
hisself  he  des  wuffless!  Shoutin’  an’  rollin’ 
his  eyes !  Seem  lak  he’s  too  full  er  his  words 
ter  git  ennything  outen  his  mouf.  Dey’s  no 
trubble  in  puttin’  things  inter  hit.  He’s  de 
mos’  pow’fulest  eater  in  de  land!  Here  yo’ 
Nebo!”  she  called  as  she  stepped  hastily  to 
the  back  door.  “Come  yere  outen  dat!  Yo’ 
heah  me?  Come  yere!” 

Almost  as  if  he  had  risen  from  the  ground, 
Nebo  suddenly  appeared  at  the  door.  “Yo’- 
all  see  Mas’  Tom  an’  his  sojer  men?”  de¬ 
manded  the  black  woman.  “Well,  hit’s  time 
foh  yo’-all  ter  git  erwake.  Yo’  heah  me? 
Yo’  follow  wif  Mas’  Tom  an’  yo’  git  ’im  ter 
go  somewhar  else.  Whar  is  de  boat?”  she 
suddenly  demanded  as  she  turned  to  Taylor. 

“It’s  just  at  the  right  of  those  three  big 
cypress  trees.  It’s  hidden  under  the  bushes 
that  grow  out  over  the  water.  I  don’t  be¬ 
lieve  the  men  can  find  it  unless  Erwin  does 
something  to  attract  their  attention.  He 


172  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


didn’t  know  when  I  left  him  there.  He  was 
asleep.” 

Taylor  was  talking  rapidly  in  his  excite¬ 
ment,  but  the  woman  did  not  wait  for  him  to 
say  more.  Turning  to  her  son  she  said — 
“Dere,  now,  yo’  Nebo!  He  boat’s  d’rec’ly 
under  de  bushes  near  de  cypress  trees.  Yo’ 
go  an’  yo’  steer  Mas’  Tom  ’way  from  dat  er 
place.  Yo’  skeer  him  wif  snakes  or  yo’  be¬ 
gin  to  preach  an’  holler.  Min’!  Yo’  git 
Mas’  Tom  ’way  from  dat  place  or  hit’ll  be 
de  mos’  luxuriatinous  ’sperience  wha’  eber 
come  to  a  no-  ’count  nigger !  ’  ’ 

Nebo’s  air  of  indifference  at  once  departed 
and  abruptly  leaving  the  house  he  started 
swiftly  across  the  cornfield  in  pursuit  of  the 
departing  men.  His  mother  and  father  as 
well  as  Taylor  were  watching  the  young  ne¬ 
gro  now.  Taylor’s  quiet  bearing  did  not  con¬ 
ceal  his  alarm.  He  was  fearful  that  some 
word  must  have  been  given  the  men  of  the 
presence  of  Erwin.  They  were  walking 
swiftly  in  the  direction  of  the  cypress  trees. 
To  the  excited  young  soldier  the  only  ex¬ 
planation  of  their  actions  was  to  be  found 
in  the  knowledge  they  must  have  somehow  re- 


NEBO’S  CUNNING 


173 


ceived  that  a  Yankee  prisoner  was  in  hiding 
near  the  bank  of  the  shallow  stream. 

In  a  brief  time  the  young  negro  overtook 
the  men,  who  stopped  as  he  approached. 
After  a  few  hasty  words,  however,  they  re¬ 
sumed  their  way  and  Nebo  accompanied 
them. 

“Dere,  now.  Don’  yo’  be  ’feared!”  said 
Dinah  consolingly  to  Taylor. 

‘  ‘  Why  not  1  ’  ’ 

“Bekase  dey  ain’  no  sech  pnssnn  on  dis 
yere  plantation  what  caint  make  Mas’  Tom 
b’lieve  dere  ain’  no  white  man  in  de  punt. 
Dat  Nebo — he’s  de  mos’  persuadenest 
preacher  in  de  lan’ !  He  is  de  mos’  eloquent- 
est  dispenseres  ob  de  bes’  words  yo’-all  ebber 
heer.  Lan’!  W’en  he’s  got  der  powah  yo’ 
cain  ’ear  him  mos’  hup  ter  de  big  house. 
Yaas,  suh,  dat  Nebo — he’s  de  one  what  cain 
mak  Mas’  Tom  b’lieve  dat  de  fattes’  chicken 
in  de  coop  has  des  ’mitted  suincide.  Da’s 
so!  Don’  yo’-all  he  skairt  no  mo’!  Nebo ’ll 
’ten’  ter  Mas’  Tom  an’  his  friends.” 

Taylor  was  far  from  being  convinced  that 
the  vocal  powers  of  Nebo  would  prevail  upon 
‘ ‘Mas’  Tom,”  or  avail  to  protect  Erwin.  In 


174  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


a  keen  state  of  anxiety  lie  still  watched  the 
men  until  they  were  hidden  from  sight  by  the 
bushes  on  the  distant  bank  of  the  stream. 
Apparently,  too,  they  had  gone  to  the  very 
place  where  he  himself  had  clambered  from 
the  mud  to  the  dryer  shore.  His  footprints 
could  still  be  seen  in  the  mud,  Taylor  was 
convinced.  The  sight  of  them  would  lead  to 
further  investigation  and  perhaps  to  the  dis¬ 
covery  of  his  friend  whom  he  had  left  asleep  . 
in  the  punt  beneath  the  hushes. 

And  yet  it  was  worse  than  useless  for  him 
to  go  to  Erwin’s  aid.  To  expose  himself 
would  be  hut  to  add  to  his  friend’s  peril. 
Striving  to  restrain  himself,  Taylor  waited, 
peering  from  the  doorway  at  the  place  where 
the  men  had  disappeared.  Every  moment  he 
expected  to  see  the  men  reappear  with  Erwin 
helpless  in  their  midst.  Dinah’s  confidence 
in  the  craftiness  of  Nebo  failed  to  allay  Tay¬ 
lor’s  fears.  Even  his  own  peril  was  forgot¬ 
ten  as  he  watched  and  waited. 

How  long  a  time  had  elapsed  when  Taylor 
suddenly  was  recalled  to  his  own  position  he 
never  knew.  It  might  have  been  an  hour  or 
three  might  have  passed  so  far  as  his  own 


NEBO’S  CUNNING 


175 


realization  was  concerned.  Through  the 
back  doorway  of  the  cabin  Nebo  suddenly  en¬ 
tered,  and  as  the  young  negro  spoke,  every 
one  in  the  room  turned  sharply  to  him. 

“Did  they  find  him!”  demanded  Taylor 
eagerly. 

“Yo’  see  hit’s  dis  way — ”  began  Nebo. 

“Did  they  find  him?”  interrupted  Taylor 
harshly. 

“Das  what  Ah’m  ’splainin’  to  yo’-all,”  be¬ 
gan  Nebo.  “Hit’s  lak  dis  yere — ” 

Nebo’s  explanation  was  again  interrupted, 
as  his  mother,  manifestly  in  terror,  now  sud¬ 
denly  darted  to  the  rear  of  the  cabin. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


AN  IMPROVISED  PEST-HOUSE 

When  Taylor,  startled  by  the  unexpected 
action  of  Aunt  Dinah,  glanced  hastily  at  the 
door  he,  too,  was  as  alarmed  as  she.  Stand¬ 
ing  in  the  doorway  was  the  young  white  man 
whom  she  had  called  “Mas’  Tom.”  How  he 
had  come  there  without  being  discovered  or 
what  he  had  in  mind  to  do  were  both  matters 
of  conjecture.  At  all  events  he  was  entering 
the  cabin  now  and  Taylor  instantly  realized 
that  any  attempt  to  flee  from  the  place  was 
worse  than  useless. 

“You  seem  to  have  visitors,  Aunt  Dinah,” 
said  the  young  man  as  he  entered  the  room. 

“Yaas,  Mas’  Tom.  Yaas,  suli.  Dat’s  so. 
Dis  yere  white  trash  done  come  ter  de  do’  er 
my  house  sho  ’s  yo ’  bohn.  Wliaff or  he  come, 
Ah  dunno.” 

“Can’t  you  send  him  away?” 

“Da’s  jes’  wha’  foh  Ah  gwine  foh  ter  sen’ 
ter  de  big  house.” 


176 


AN  IMPROVISED  PEST-HOUSE  177 


“You  want  to  be  rid  of  him,  do  you?” 

“Ah  sholy  does,  Mas’  Tom.” 

“And  he  won’t  go?” 

“No,  suh.  He  jes’ — ” 

“Can’t  ’Eastus  and  Nebo  drive  him 
away  ?  ’  ’ 

“Dat  ’Eastus,  he’s  took  wif  de  misery. 
He’s  done  been  mo’nin’  right  sma’t  all  de 
time.  Nebo,”  added  the  black  woman,  snif¬ 
fing  in  apparent  indignation,  “he’s  des  no 
’count  since  he’s  done  been  er  preachin’.” 

“I’ll  help  you  rid  yourself  of  him,” 
laughed  the  young  white  man  as  he  glanced 
at  Taylor. 

“Don’  yo’-all  bother  yo’self  wif  sich  trash, 
Mas’  Tom.  All’ll  ’ten’  ter  him  when  Ah  gets 
ready.” 

“Where  did  you  come  from?”  demanded 
the  man,  suddenly  turning  to  Taylor. 

“Most  any  whar,”  drawled  Taylor  striving 
to  appear  indifferent. 

“Been  in  the  army?” 

“Not  very  far  away  from  it,  suh.” 

“Whose  army?” 

The  question  was  almost  impossible  for 
Taylor  to  answer.  So  many  weeks  had 


178  FOR  TIIE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


passed  since  liis  capture  that  he  knew  hut  lit¬ 
tle  of  the  whereabouts  of  the  contending 
forces.  The  few  reports  that  had  filtered 
through  the  lines  into  the  prisons  he  knew 
were  grossly  exaggerated.  They  had  chiefly 
been  rumors  of  overwhelming  defeats  for  his 
fellow  soldiers,  but  of  the  activities  or  of  the 
real  positions  or  moves  of  the  armies  them¬ 
selves  not  a  reliable  word  had  been  received. 
The  young  soldier  was  in  almost  complete  ig¬ 
norance  of  the  present  conditions  of  the  great 
struggle. 

“I  can’t  say  as  how  I  was  exactly  in  the 
army,”  drawled  Taylor.  4 ‘ What  I  mean, 
suh,  was  that  I  wasn’t  very  far  away.” 

“A  camp  follower!  A  hanger-on!” 

“Mos’ly,  suh,”  admitted  Taylor  humbly. 

“Ever  been  in  the  Yankee  camp!” 

“  Yo’  mean  Camp  So’ghum!” 

“Yes.  Ever  been  there!” 

“I’ve  seen  it,  suh.” 

“Never  been  inside!” 

“Not  very  recently,  suh.” 

“What  are  you  doing  here!” 

“Jes’  goin’  to  leave.” 

“Where  you  going!” 


AN  IMPROVISED  PEST-HOUSE  179 


“I  reckon  I’ll  be  goin’  to  Columbia.  It 
isn’t  mo’  than  seven  miles  to  the  town,  is 
it?”  Taylor  arose  as  if  he  was  about  to  de¬ 
part.  His  heart  was  beating  rapidly  in  his 
excitement,  but  he  was  doing  his  utmost  to 
appear  calm  in  his  assumed  character  of  a 
poor  white.  His  general  appearance,  his  torn 
clothing,  his  woe-begone  face  might  possibly 
aid  him  in  his  attempt  to  pass  as  one  of  the 
worthless  class,  and  he  was  doing  his  utmost 
to  increase  the  effect  by  his  drawling  tones 
and  his  general  attitude  of  indifference. 
What  the  young  white  man  really  thought  of 
him  had  not  been  indicated. 

“It’s  too  far  away  for  you  to  try  to  make 
it  now.” 

“I  reckon  I  mought  try,”  suggested  Tay¬ 
lor,  still  moving  toward  the  front  door. 

“You  must  come  with  me  now.” 

“I  reckon  I  don’  need  any  help.”  Taylor 
was  keenly  observing  the  man  before  him. 
He  was  aware  that  he  could  not  rely  upon 
any  assistance  from  the  negroes  in  a  struggle 
with  “Mas’  Tom.”  Help  him  in  other  ways 
they  might  but  not  in  an  effort  to  overcome 
their  young  master.  Then,  too,  the  man 


180  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


might  be  armed,  while  Taylor  was  defense¬ 
less.  Besides,  he  was  weak  from  the  lack  of 
sleep  and  the  struggles  of  the  preceding 
night. 

“You  must  come  with  me,”  repeated  the 
young  man. 

“Where!” 

“To  the  ‘big  house ’.” 

“What  for!  I  don’t  want  anything  at  the 
house.  ’  ’ 

“You  ask  as  many  questions  as  if  you  were 
a  Yankee.  Come  on.” 

There  was  no  escape  and  shrugging  his 
shoulders  Taylor  turned  to  do  as  he  was  bid¬ 
den.  When  he  glanced  at  Aunt  Dinah  she  ap¬ 
peared  to  be  indifferent  to  his  troubles  and 
already  apparently  was  busy  in  her  house¬ 
hold  duties.  As  for  the  two  black  men,  in  her 
own  language  they  were  both  “wuffless”  and 
were  not  to  be  relied  upon  for  help. 

Silently  Taylor  followed  his  new  leader  as 
the  latter  turned  into  the  lane  that  led  to  the 
big  house.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  by  either 
and  in  a  brief  time  they  mounted  the  steps 
of  the  old  mansion.  A  wide  veranda  ex¬ 
tended  about  three  sides  of  the  great  square 


AN  IMPROVISED  PE  ST -HOUSE  181 


house  and  high  columns  upheld  the  roof  of 
the  imposing  porches.  At  a  distance  the 
building  was  quite  impressive,  but  a  nearer 
inspection  revealed  the  dilapidated  condition 
of  the  rambling  frame  structure. 

As  Taylor  and  his  companion  mounted  the 
steps  of  the  veranda  they  were  met  by  a 
young  girl  whom  Taylor  at  once  concluded 
was  a  sister  of  his  captor — for  such  he  be¬ 
lieved  “Mas’  Tom”  to  be. 

The  girl’s  eyes  betrayed  her  curiosity  con¬ 
cerning  her  brother’s  companion  and  she 
lightly  inquired,  “ Who’s  your  friend,  Tom'?” 

“Where’s  the  lieutenant,  sis!”  asked  Tom, 
ignoring  her  question. 

“I  reckon  he’s  in  the  dining-room.  He 
was  there  a  moment  ago.  It’s  mostly  Hoorn’ 
and  little  * dining,’  though,”  she  added,  her 
eyes  flashing  as  she  spoke. 

Tom  at  once  conducted  Taylor  to  the  room 
where  his  friend  was  found  seated  before 
the  table  at  a  repast  of  corn  bread  and  bacon. 

“Who’s  that!”  demanded  the  lieutenant, 
as  he  glanced  quickly  at  Taylor. 

“You  tell  me  that  and  then  I’ll  tell  you,” 
responded  Tom.  “I’m  not  certain  who  he 


182  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


is.  I  found  liim  at  Aunt  Dinah’s.  I  thought 
I’d  take  another  turn  among  the  ‘quarters’ 
after  I  left  you  and  Ben.  Where  is  Ben 
now!” 

Taylor  was  confident  that  Ben  was  the 
other  young  soldier  whom  he  had  seen  with 
Tom  and  the  lieutenant  at  Aunt  Dinah’s 
cabin. 

“He’s  down  by  the  creek,”  replied  the 
lieutenant.  “He  thought  he  had  found  a 
trail  and  he  wouldn’t  leave  it.  I  had  had 
enough  to  last  me  till  breakfast  time,  so  I 
came  back.  Who’s  your  man,  Tom?” 

“You  find  out.  I  don’t  know.  Dinah  says 
he’s  just  po’  white  trash  and  he  says  he’s 
been  a  camp  follower.  Perhaps  you  can  find 
out  more  than  I  could.  I  decided  to  bring 
him  up  and  let  you  see  him  for  yourself.” 

The  young  Confederate  lieutenant  at  once 
turned  sharply  to  Taylor  and  began  to  ques¬ 
tion  him.  To  all  his  queries  Taylor  gave 
hesitating  replies,  striving  to  speak  but  little 
and  when  he  did  to  use  the  drawling  and 
clipped  words  such  as  he  himself  had  heard 
from  the  ignorant  hangers-on  about  the  pris¬ 
ons.  That  he  was  successful  in  his  efforts 


AN  IMPROVISED  PE  ST -HOUSE  183 


lie  was  not  at  all  confident,  for  the  lieuten¬ 
ant’s  curiosity  apparently  was  increasing. 

“You  say  you  have  been  to  the  camp  of 
Yankee  prisoners  at  Columbia  V9  the  young 
officer  asked  sharply. 

“Yaas,  sub.” 

“When!” 

“I  reckon  I  was  there  a  day  or  two  since, 
suh.  ’  ’ 

“Wliat  were  you  doing  there?” 

“Mos’  anything.  The  las’  thing  I  done, 
suh,  was  ter  help  bury  a  Yank.  I  reck’n  no¬ 
body ’d  do  it  ’cep tin’  me,  suh.” 

“Do  what?” 

“Bury  th’  Yank,  suh.” 

“Why  not?” 

“We-uns  is  mos’ly  afeard  o’  the  small¬ 
pox.  ’  ’ 

“What!”  exclaimed  Tom.  “Had  the  man 
died  of  the  smallpox?” 

“That  was  th’  repo’t.” 

“Take  him  away!  Don’t  leave  him  here  a 
minute  longer !  ’ ’  ordered  Tom. 

Taylor  could  see  that  the  lieutenant,  how¬ 
ever,  was  not  so  badly  frightened  as  his 
friend  had  been  by  the  alarming  statement. 


184  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Rising  from  his  chair  he  said  to  Taylor, 
“Come  with  me.”  Leading  the  way  to  the 
rear  of  the  house,  the  lieutenant  stopped  in 
the  open  air  beneath  a  huge  tree  and  renewed 
his  questionings.  In  Taylor’s  garb  and  man¬ 
ner  there  was  little  to  suspect,  but  the  young 
officer  still  was  not  convinced.  After  a  time 
he  said,  “You  must  stay  here.  I’ve  a  notion 
that  you  are  not  just  what  you  are  pretend¬ 
ing  to  be.  We  have  had  word  of  some  of  the 
Yankees  taking  French  leave  from  the  camp 
and  we’re  searching  for  them.  You  may  be 
one  of  them  for  all  I  know.  Tom !”  he  called 
suddenly,  turning  and  shouting  toward  the 
house.  “Tom!  Comeyere!” 

In  a  moment  Tom  appeared,  though  he  took 
pains  not  to  approach  very  near  the  sus¬ 
pected  prisoner  and  the  lieutenant.  “Tom, 
have  you  anybody  on  the  plantation  that  ever 
had  the  smallpox?” 

“Yes.  ’Rastus  had  it  three  or  four  years 
ago.” 

“Then  put  this  man  in  some  place  where 
he  can  be  kept  to  himself  and  have  ’Rastus 
look  after  him.  Can  you  depend  on  ’Rastus? 


AN  IMPROVISED  PEST-HOUSE  185 


It  was  in  his  cabin  where  you  found  this  fel¬ 
low,  wasn’t  it!” 

“It  was.  But  ’Rastus  is  true  and  Dinah  is 
more  trusty  still.” 

“I’d  like  to  keep  this  fellow  till  Lieutenant 
Evans  can  see  him.  He’ll  be  yere  right  soon. 
I  have  my  suspicions  that  this  man  is  playing 
’possum.  If  he  is,  Evans  will  know,  and  if 
he  isn’t,  it  won’t  do  any  harm  to  hold  him 
yere  a  bit.” 

“What  about  the  smallpox,  Joe!” 

“There  won’t  be  anything  to  fear.  We’ll 
keep  him  to  himself,  and  ’Rastus  has  had  it, 
you  say!” 

“'Yes,  ’Rastus  has  had  it,”  answered 
Tom  dubiously.  “We  don ’t  want  to  take  any 
chances,  Joe.  Don’t  you  reckon  we’d  better 
send  him  on!” 

“Not  yet,”  said  the  lieutenant  promptly. 
“He  may  be  less  of  a  fool  than  he  looks, 
Tom.” 

“Tha’s  what  my  marm  says,”  suggested 
Taylor,  in  his  most  drawling  manner. 

Both  young  men  laughed  at  his  words,  but 
Tom  at  once  led  the  way  to  a  deserted  cabin 


186  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


beyond  the  negroes’  quarters.  The  house 
was  of  logs  and  contained  only  one  door. 
Boards  had  been  nailed  across  the  sole  win¬ 
dow  to  keep  out  the  rain.  Taylor  took  in  all 
the  details  of  the  place  by  one  quick  glance 
and  then  resumed  his  former  attitude  of  in¬ 
difference. 

In  a  brief  time  ’Rastus  was  summoned,  the 
door  of  the  cabin  was  securely  nailed  fast 
and  the  negro  was  left  in  charge  of  the  pris¬ 
oner. 

“Now,  ’Rastus,  if  you  let  that  fellow  get 
away,”  called  Tom  warningly,  as  he  and  his 
friend  departed,  “you’ll  be  held  responsible. 
He’s  coming  down  with  the  smallpox.  If  he 
gets  loose  you  know  what  will  happen.” 

“Yaas,  suh.  Yaas,  suh!  Ah  sholy  does, 
Mas’  Tom.  Dinah  say  lie’s  only  white  trash. 
Whaffo’  yo’  keep  ’im,  Mas’  Tom?” 

“We  shan’t  keep  him  very  long.  Likely 
he  won’t  be  yere  more  than  three  or  four 
hours,  ’Rastus.  You  must  look  out  for  him. 
If  he  tries  to  get  out  you  call  me.  ’  ’ 

“Ya-a-s,  suh,”  said  ’Rastus  meekly,  as  the 
two  young  men  departed. 

Taylor  waited  impatiently  until  he  was  sat- 


AN  IMPROVISED  PEST-HOUSE  187 

isfied  that  the  two  young  men  were  gone  be¬ 
fore  he  inspected  his  place  of  confinement. 
His  eyes  were  somewhat  accustomed  to  the 
darkness  now  and  he  could  see  that  the  little 
building  was  strong.  Escape  by  the  closed 
window  was  impossible — it  was  securely 
nailed.  The  door,  too,  was  barred  and  to 
break  through  it  was  not  to  be  thought  of  un¬ 
less  ’Rastus  would  open  it.  The  sole  means 
of  escape  was  by  the  chimney,  but  as  Taylor 
peered  up  it  he  was  by  no  means  convinced 
that  in  his  weakened  condition  he  would  be 
able  to  make  the  ascent. 

Api^roaching  the  door,  he  called  softly  at 
first  and  then  in  louder  tones  to  ’Rastus, 
“  Aren’t  you  going  to  open  the  door  for  me!” 

“Caint  do  hit  nohow,”  responded  the  ne¬ 
gro.  “Dey  can  see  from  de  big  house.” 

Here  was  a  complication  Taylor  had  not 
thought  of  and  for  a  moment  he  was  silent. 
“  ’Rastus,”  he  called  at  last. 

“Yaas,  suli.” 

“Did  Nebo  find  my  friend  down  by  the 
creek'?” 

“No,  suh.  Nebo  foun’  de  punt  an’  de  pole 
slio’  ’nough,  but  dey  wasn’t  no  man  dere. 
Dey  sho’ly  wasn’t.” 


CHAPTER  XV 


THE  WORD  OH  THE  BANK 

The  statement  of  ’Rastus  was  sufficient  of 
itself  to  increase  tlie  excitement  under  which 
Taylor  already  was  laboring.  He  was  con¬ 
vinced  somehow  that  the  negro  had  spoken 
truly  and  that  Erwin  had  not  been  found  in 
the  punt.  Whether  Erwin  had  awakened  and 
finding  himself  deserted  and  alone  had  him¬ 
self  gone  ashore,  or  whether  he  had  discov¬ 
ered  the  approach  of  the  three  men  and  had 
found  some  other  place  of  hiding,  Taylor  had 
no  means  of  knowing.  In  either  case,  Erwin, 
ignorant  of  the  events  which  had  occurred 
since  Taylor  had  left  the  boat  and,  unaware, 
as  he  must  be,  of  the  dangers  to  be  met  in 
the  vicinity,  was  in  the  midst  of  many  perils. 
Then,  too,  Erwin’s  exhaustion  was  such  that 
his  friend  was  aware  that  it  would  be  im¬ 
possible  for  him  to  defend  himself  in  case  of 
attack  or  to  proceed  far  from  the  place  where 
the  punt  had  been  concealed. 

188 


THE  WORD  ON  THE  BANK  189 


It  was  now  noontime.  Taylor’s  anxiety 
was  so  great  that  lie  was  becoming  almost 
desperate.  In  case  Lieutenant  Evans  should 
come,  as  Tom’s  friend  had  predicted,  the 
young  officer  would  at  once  recognize  him, 
Taylor  well  knew.  No  subterfuge,  not  even 
the  report  of  smallpox,  would  deter  him  from 
doing  his  duty.  The  kindness  he  had  shown 
the  young  prisoners — so  marked  in  its  con¬ 
trast  with  their  other  experiences,  would  not 
avail  now.  Lieutenant  Evans  would  compel 
him  and  Erwin  also,  if  the  latter  should  be 
found,  to  return  at  once  to  the  prison  camp. 

But  how  was  release  from  the  hut  in  which 
he  was  confined  to  be  obtained?  This  was 
his  first  problem,  as  Taylor  well  knew.  Help 
from  the  watching  ’Rastus  was  not  to  be  ex¬ 
pected.  To  break  down  the  door  or  remove 
the  boards  from  the  window  was  also  im¬ 
possible. 

In  his  desperation  Taylor  looked  again  at 
the  fireplace.  It  was  loosely  built  of  stones 
and  as  the  young  prisoner  stooped  and 
peered  up  the  flue,  he  could  see  that  it  was 
not  difficult  to  climb  to  the  roof  because  the 
stones  overlapped  and  had  been  loosely  laid. 


190  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Manifestly  the  men  who  had  ordered  him 
there  had  not  been  planning  to  place  him  in 
close  confinement  or  they  would  not  have  se¬ 
lected  such  a  hut  for  his  prison.  Doubtless, 
Taylor  thought,  his  words  concerning  small¬ 
pox  had  alarmed  them  to  a  degree  and  they 
had  sent  him  where  he  was  merely  to  hold 
him  till  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant  Evans,  who 
would  know  best  what  ought  to  be  done  in  the 
circumstances. 

To  meet  the  lieutenant,  however,  was  just 
what  Taylor  was  most  eager  to  avoid.  In 
his  determination  he  at  once  began  to  climb 
the  chimney.  He  was  careful  to  avoid  all 
noise  as  he  grasped  the  projecting  flat  stones 
and  slowly  mounted.  His  greatest  difficulty 
came  when  he  arrived  at  the  low  top  of  the 
chimney,  which  was  of  brick  and  so  smooth 
that  there  were  no  projecting  points  to  be 
grasped. 

However,  by  bracing  his  feet  he  managed 
at  last  to  secure  a  grasp  on  the  top  and  then 
cautiously  drew  himself  upward.  For  a  mo¬ 
ment  he  peered  at  the  mansion  in  the  dis¬ 
tance.  Apparently  no  one  was  within  sight. 
Hesitating  no  longer,  he  quickly  climbed  to 


THE  WORD  ON  THE  BANK  191 


tlie  top,  then  slid  to  the  roof  and  withdrawing 
toward  the  rear  dropped  to  the  ground  which 
was  not  more  than  eight  feet  below  him. 

Not  even  stopping  to  glance  at  the  big 
house,  Taylor  at  once  started  toward  the 
quarters  of  the  negroes.  He  was  in  the  open 
now  and  exposed  to  the  sight  of  anyone  near. 
Boldness,  however,  had  favored  him  before, 
and  trusting  again  in  its  power,  he  walked 
rapidly  in  the  direction  of  Aunt  Dinah’s 
cabin.  Occasionally  he  glanced  behind  him, 
prepared  to  run  if  any  pursuers  were  seen. 
Once  he  met  a  black  woman  who  gazed  curi¬ 
ously  at  him,  but  did  not  speak.  A  silence 
rested  over  the  region  that  was  almost  as  ter¬ 
rifying  as  the  shouts  or  shots  which  Taylor 
half  expected  to  hear. 

He  was  not  molested,  however,  and  soon 
gained  the  rear  of  Aunt  Dinah’s  humble 
abode.  As  he  opened  the  door  he  found  no 
one  within.  The  silence  extended  even  to  the 
cabin.  For  a  moment  Taylor  looked  about 
him,  hesitating  what  next  to  do.  It  was  not 
likely  that  Tom  and  his  companions  would 
soon  return  to  the  creek  where  Erwin  and  the 
punt  had  been  left.  Not  a  word  had  either 


192  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


of  the  white  men  spoken  concerning  Erwin. 
Taylor  was  hopeful  that  his  friend  had  not 
been  found.  The  words  of  ’Rastus  were  dis¬ 
quieting,  however,  and  in  his  anxiety  Taylor 
was  determined  to  learn  whether  or  not  the 
negro  had  spoken  truly. 

Advancing  to  the  front  door  of  the  hut,  he 
peered  at  the  long  cornfield  before  him.  If 
he  were  only  safely  across  that  he  would 
know  more  concerning  the  fate  of  his  friend. 
Apparently  no  one  was  in  the  field.  The 
very  silence  was  almost  an  invitation.  Far 
away  was  the  mansion  hidden  by  trees.  The 
prospect  was  tempting  and  Taylor  decided 
to  try  to  return  to  the  bushes  under  which 
his  recent  comrade  had  been  left. 

Before  he  departed  from  the  house  Taylor 
lifted  the  trapdoor  which  concealed  the  store¬ 
house  of  Aunt  Dinah.  It  was  evident  that 
supplies  were  scant  but  equally  evident  that 
the  big  colored  woman  had  in  some  way  made 
provision  for  the  future.  Her  private  cel¬ 
lar  contained  food,  as  Taylor  had  become 
aware  when  she  had  concealed  him  in  the 
place. 

A  part  of  a  side  of  bacon  and  some  corn 


THE  WORD  ON  THE  BANK  193 


bread  were  taken  by  the  young  soldier  before 
he  restored  the  door  to  its  place.  Aunt  Di¬ 
nah  would  not  begrudge  the  4  4  off ering, 9  ’  he 
assured  himself,  and  the  needs  of  his  friend 
as  well  as  his  own  were  too  great  to  be 
neglected. 

Placing  the  food  inside  his  shirt-front,  Tay¬ 
lor  at  once  departed  from  the  hut.  Walking 
briskly  across  the  open  part  of  the  field,  he 
stopped  at  the  first  heap  of  cornstalks  to  ob¬ 
serve  whether  or  not  he  had  been  seen.  A 
flock  of  buzzards  on  the  high  branches  of  a 
dead  cypress  tree  near  the  creek  was  the 
only  sight  of  living  objects  he  was  able  to 
obtain. 

Assured  that  thus  far  he  had  not  been  ob¬ 
served,  Taylor  sought  the  nearest  refuge  in 
the  field  and  again  stopped  and  peered  all 
about  him.  Still  the  buzzards  were  the  sole 
animate  objects  to  be  seen. 

Repeatedly  darting  from  one  hiding  place 
to  another,  Taylor  kept  on  his  way  until  at 
last  he  arrived  at  the  place  he  was  seeking. 
Once  within  the  shelter  of  the  brush  he  knelt 
upon  the  ground  and  peered  between  the 
bushes.  He  could  see  all  about  the  planta- 


194  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


tion.  Even  the  mansion  in  the  distance  was 
more  easily  seen  here  than  from  the  hnt  of 
Annt  Dinah. 

Suddenly  five  men  came  down  the  steps  of 
the  big  house  and  started  toward  the  deserted 
hut  in  which  Taylor  had  been  “guarded”  by 
’Rastus.  So  startled  was  Taylor  by  the  sight 
that  for  the  moment  even  the  thought  of  his 
friend  was  ignored.  Almost  fascinated,  he 
watched  the  five  men.  They  were  too  far 
away  for  him  to  distinguish  anyone,  but  to 
his  excited  imagination  one  of  them  appeared 
to  be  like  the  form  of  Lieutenant  Evans.  An¬ 
other  one,  too,  somehow  reminded  him  of 
Uncle  Sam,  but  as  Taylor  realized  how  im¬ 
possible  the  presence  in  the  vicinity,  espe¬ 
cially  in  such  company,  of  Samuel  was,  he 
did  not  give  the  matter  any  serious  thought 
at  that  time. 

Plainly  the  men  were  going  to  the  deserted 
hut.  Taylor  was  unable  to  see  ’Rastus  any¬ 
where  near  the  little  building.  Doubtless  the 
old  negro  would  have  an  abundance  of  excite¬ 
ment  soon,  Taylor  thought  grimly.  How¬ 
ever,  trouble  was  not  wanting  in  the  young 
soldier’s  vicinity,  and  at  the  recollection  he 


THE  WORD  ON  THE  BANK  195 


turned  hastily  into  the  bushes  where  the  punt 
was  hidden. 

The  little  boat  apparently  was  just  as  he 
had  left  it.  Even  the  long  pole  had  not  been 
touched.  But  Erwin  was  not  there.  ’Rastus 
had  spoken  truly  when  he  had  given  Nebo’s 
report. 

“ Erwin!  Erwin !”  Taylor  called  in  a  low 
voice,  hoping  that  his  friend  was  concealed 
somewhere  not  far  away.  He  waited  a  mo¬ 
ment  and  then  repeated  his  hail,  not  daring 
to  call  loudly.  Still  the  silence  was  unbroken. 
Erwin  apparently  was  gone. 

Hurriedly  Taylor  examined  the  muddy  bot¬ 
tom  as  well  as  the  ground  on  the  bank  for 
traces  of  footprints.  There  were  no  signs 
to  be  found  that  his  friend  had  departed  by 
the  bank.  The  mystery  of  it  all  was  baffling 
and  doubly  tantalizing  now  in  the  plight 
of  Taylor.  Darting  back  to  the  shore, 
he  once  more  concealed  himself  behind  a  tree 
and  looked  toward  the  hut  from  which  he  had 
climbed.  Even  the  five  men  could  not  now  be 
seen.  The  sun  was  shining,  but  the  desola¬ 
tion  of  the  scene  was  not  relieved.  Some¬ 
thing  like  a  heavy  pall  seemed  to  rest  over 


196  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  entire  region.  Not  a  place  on  the  planta¬ 
tion  had  been  molested,  but  in  spite  of  its 
security  the  influence  of  the  prison  camp  and 
the  things  for  which  it  stood  seemed  to  cast 
a  spell  on  field  and  house  and  men.  Fear, 
calamity,  desolation — these  were  in  the  very 
air  and  trembling  people  absorbed  them  in 
their  breath. 

Taylor  remained  a  half-hour  in  his  place  of 
observation  and  then  returned  to  the  punt. 
His  escape,  he  was  aware,  might  increase  the 
vigilance  of  the  party  with  Tom.  Quite 
likely  it  would.  ’Rastus,  however,  might  be 
suspected  of  having  aided  the  prisoner  he 
was  supposed  to  guard  and  in  that  event  the 
negro’s  troubles  might  be  multiplied.  It 
was  too  bad,  Taylor  acknowledged  somewhat 
woefully,  but  it  still  was  better  so  than  to 
have  remained  in  the  cabin  until  he  was  rec¬ 
ognized  and  all  hope  was  abandoned  forever. 

Taylor  seized  the  pole  and  pushed  the  punt 
into  the  stream.  He  was  not  planning  to  go 
far.  He  would  watch  for  Erwin’s  return  and 
be  ready  to  welcome  him.  Somehow  Taylor 
had  persuaded  himself  that  his  friend  had 
gone  to  some  cabin  in  the  vicinity  and  would 


THE  WORD  ON  THE  BANK  197 


soon  come  back.  His  own  experiences  con¬ 
firmed  him  in  the  belief  which  was  strength¬ 
ened  by  the  words  spoken  by  the  lieutenant 
whom  Tom  had  called  Joe.  No  reference 
had  been  made  to  Erwin.  Taylor  assured 
himself  that  such  would  not  have  been  the 
case  if  his  friend  had  been  found  by  the 
searching  party. 

The  punt  was  poled  across  the  muddy 
creek,  and,  almost  on  the  opposite  shore,  was 
once  more  thrust  under  the  thick  bushes  that 
there  also  overhung  the  bank.  Once  ef¬ 
fectively  concealed  by  the  branches,  he  ar¬ 
ranged  several  small  open  places  through 
which  he  himself  could  peer  without  fear  of 
discovery.  He  could  hear  sounds  which  any 
near-by  parties  might  make,  and,  in  a 
measure  at  least,  Taylor  was  assured  not 
only  that  he  was  quite  effectively  concealed, 
but  also  that  he  would  be  able  to  discover  the 
approach  of  Erwin.  He  was  planning  to  re¬ 
main  until  dark  and  if  his  friend  should  not 
appear  by  that  time,  then  Taylor  would  not 
remain  longer  but  he  would  try  to  find  some 
measures  for  a  search  for  his  missing  com¬ 
panion,  or  so  he  assured  himself. 


198  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Seating  himself  in  the  boat,  Taylor  first  ate 
a  small  piece  of  the  corn  bread  which  he  had 
“borrowed”  from  Aunt  Dinah.  His  hunger 
had  returned  with  increased  force  now  and  he 
looked  longingly  at  the  part  that  remained. 
Certain  of  Erwin’s  needs  as  well  as  being 
fully  aware  of  the  uncertainty  as  to  when 
other  supplies  might  be  had,  he  resolutely 
restrained  his  impulse  and  restored  the  re¬ 
maining  food  to  its  place.  He  might  be 
compelled  to  flee  suddenly  and  food  was  alto¬ 
gether  too  precious  to  be  lost  in  the  exi¬ 
gencies  of  a  sudden  flight. 

Utterly  wearied,  Taylor  soon  was  lying  on 
the  bottom  of  the  punt,  assuring  himself  that 
he  could  hear  as  well  in  that  position  as  in 
any  other  if  any  men  came  to  the  creek.  It 
was  not  long,  however,  before  the  young  sol¬ 
dier  was  asleep,  not  even  his  anxiety  for  him¬ 
self  or  his  fears  for  Erwin  availing  to  keep 
him  longer  awake. 

Dusk  had  settled  over  the  land  when  Tay¬ 
lor  awoke.  He  was  shivering  in  the  cold.  At 
first,  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  realize 
where  he  was.  He  roused  himself  as  the 


THE  WORD  ON  THE  BANK  199 


sound  of  voices  of  men  nearby  was  heard. 
In  a  moment  his  own  plight  was  recalled  and 
he  was  excitedly  listening  to  the  words  he 
overheard. 

“Yes,  I’m  a  good  friend,”  some  one  was 
saying.  “I  missed  ’em  both  on  the  way. 
You  say  they  were  both  here!” 

“Yaas,  suh.” 

“Did  you  see  them  both!” 

“Ah  reck’n  Ah  sholy  did.” 

“Were  they  here  when  you  saw  them!” 

“One  was  yere.” 

“Where  was  the  other  one!” 

“He  done  stop  a  bit  at  we-all’s  cabin,  suh.” 

“Yes.  Yes.  That  was  Taylor.  How  did 
he  get  away  from  the  house  when  your  father 
was  on  guard!” 

“Ah  caint  ’xplain  dat,  suh.  He  des  nach- 
ully  lef\” 

“What  was  the  one  you  saw  here  at  the 
creek  doing!” 

“Nuffin,  suh.  He  des  look  lak  he  was  mos’ 
done  foh.  He  sho’ly  was  de  mos’  tremblein- 
list  man  what  Ah — ” 

Taylor  was  unable  to  hear  the  conclusion 


200  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


of  the  sentence,  but  he  was  fully  awake  now. 
He  had  recognized  the  voice  of  one  of  the 
men  as  that  of  Uncle  Sam  and  beyond  ques¬ 
tion  his  companion  was  Aunt  Dinah’s  son, 
Nebo. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


A  SEARCH 

Hesitating  no  longer,  Taylor  called  softly 
from  his  hiding  place,  “ Uncle  Sam!  Uncle 
Sam!  Wait  a  minute  and  I’ll  be  with  you.” 

“Wha-a-a’  dat?”  stammered  Nebo,  his 
teeth  chattering  in  his  terror.  Samuel,  how¬ 
ever,  even  if  he  was  startled  by  the  unex¬ 
pected  hail,  did  not  betray  his  alarm,  but  re¬ 
mained  on  the  bank,  peering  across  the  little 
stream  whence  the  voice  of  the  unseen  man 
who  had  hailed  him  was  heard. 

Seizing  his  pole,  Taylor  pushed  the  punt 
from  beneath  the  bushes.  As  he  was  seen  by 
the  negro  and  his  companion,  the  former 
without  waiting  for  further  information 
turned  and  fled  across  the  cornfield  in  the  di¬ 
rection  of  the  cabins  of  the  slaves.  Samuel, 
however,  apparently  unmoved,  awaited  the 
approach  of  the  boat  and  when  Taylor 
landed  he  said: 


201 


202  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


1  ‘  I  knew  it  was  you.  ’  ’ 

“Did  you?  What  are  you  doing  here, 
Uncle  Sam?” 

“Looking  for  you.” 

“You’ve  found  me.” 

“Yes,  I  knew  I  would.” 

“How  did  you  get  out  of  the  camp?” 

“I  came  with  Lieutenant  Evans.” 

‘  1  Is  he  here  now  ?  ’  ’ 

“Yes.” 

1 ‘  Where  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  left  him  at  the  big  house  back  there  be¬ 
hind  the  trees.” 

“What  is  he  doing  here?” 

“Looking  for  you.  Men  have  been  sent 
from  the  camp  till  they  have  a  circle  all 
around  it.  They’re  scouring  the  country. 
You  see,  some  others  got  away  besides  you 
and  Erwin.” 

“Why  did  the  lieutenant  bring  you?” 

“He  thought  I’d  help  find  you  and  Erwin.” 

“What  made  him  think  you  would?” 

“He  knew  I  was  down  on  Erwin.” 

“Well,  you’ve  found  me  anyway.” 

“Yes.” 

“What  are  you  going  to  do  next?” 


A  SEARCH 


203 


“Pm  going  with  you.” 

‘  ‘  Where  !  ’  ’ 

“Wherever  yon  go!” 

“You  mean  yon  want  to  get  to  our  lines!” 

“Of  course.  What  did  you  think  I 
meant ! ’  ’ 

“I  didn’t  know  but  you  were  going  to  take 
me  to  the  lieutenant.  ’ ’ 

“He’ll  never  see  me  again.” 

6  ‘  But  he  thinks  he  will.  ’  ’ 

“That’s  his  own  lookout.  I  fooled  him 
good.  He  thought  I  was  ready  to  go  back 
on  our  men.  I  let  him  think  so  just  as  long 
as  he  wanted.  I  got  into  his  good  graces  and 
now  I’ve  got  more  than  I  ever  thought  I’d 
have.  He  asked  me  if  I’d  like  to  go  with 
him  and  if  I’d  help  find  the  men  that  got 
away.  ’  ’ 

“And  you  told  him  you  would!” 

“I  did,”  Samuel  replied  as  simply  as  if  he 
had  no  conception  of  what  his  words  implied. 
Indeed,  to  his  friend  the  knowledge  of  Uncle 
Sam’s  treachery  was  not  surprising — it  was 
so  thoroughly  in  keeping  with  all  that  Taylor 
had  known  of  him  since  they  were  small  boys. 
Uncle  Sam’s  propensity  to  take  what  did  not 


204  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


belong  to  him  was  understood  by  all  his  ac¬ 
quaintances  and  his  word  no  one  would  trust. 
In  the  little  village  in  which  the  boys  dwelt 
the  prevailing  impression  was  that  Samuel 
was  not  altogether  responsible  for  his  deeds. 
The  kind-hearted  country  people  referred  to 
him  as  one  who  was  slightly  “lacking  in  his 
upper  story,’ ’  by  which  term  some  described 
the  lad  who  was  called  by  others  “half-wit¬ 
ted”  or  a  fool.  Shrewd  in  certain  directions 
the  boy  certainly  was,  although  in  school  he 
had  not  been  able  to  do  what  others  of  his 
own  age  had  done.  Even  now  Taylor  re¬ 
called  the  sight  of  Uncle  Sam,  a  tall,  awk¬ 
ward,  ungainly  boy  of  fourteen  standing  in  a 
row  with  six  or  eight  little  fellows  not  more 
than  half  his  age,  trying  vainly  to  read  the 
lesson  that  had  been  assigned.  Samuel  him¬ 
self  had  at  last  rebelled  and  refused  longer 
to  attend  school  to  be  the  sport  of  boys  so 
much  younger  than  he  was.  The  two  chief 
causes  of  distrust  on  the  part  of  others  were 
Samuel’s  apparent  failure  to  understand  the 
difference  between  truth  and  falsehood,  and 
his  vindictiveness. 

Taylor  was  thinking  of  these  things  while 


A  SEARCH 


205 


Samuel  was  speaking.  Had  lie  told  the  truth ! 
Could  he  be  trusted? 

4  4  Where ’s  Erwin  ?”  inquired  Samuel. 

‘  ‘  I  don ’t  know.  Do  you  ?  Have  you  heard 
anything  about  him?” 

“Have  I  heard?  No.  I  haven’t  heard 
anything.  Isn’t  he  with  you?” 

“No.” 

“Where  is  he?” 

“I  wish  I  knew.” 

“  Where ’d  you  lose  him?” 

“I  haven’t  seen  him  since  last  night.” 

“Probably  the  rebs  have  got  him  again,” 
suggested  Samuel  complacently.  “What  you 
going  to  do  now,  Taylor?” 

“I’m  not  sure.  Yes.  I  am,”  Taylor  sud¬ 
denly  added.  “You  say  you  want  to  go  with 
me?” 

“That’s  what  I  said.” 

“Have  you  had  anything  to  eat?” 

“Yes,  but  they  wouldn’t  let  me  eat  with 
’em!”  said  Samuel  angrily. 

“Who  wouldn’t?” 

“The  lieutenant  and  the  men  at  the  house. 
They  thought  I  wasn’t  good  ’nough  for  them. 
I’ll  show  ’em  whether  I  am  or  not!” 


206  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIFES 


“Of  course  you  will,  Uncle  Sam,”  said 
Taylor  encouragingly.  “They  don’t  suspect 
you,  though,  do  they?” 

“Suspect  me  of  what?” 

“That  you  are  not  going  to  ‘find’  me  or 
that  you  have  decided  to  leave  them.  ’  ’ 

“Of  course  they  don’t.” 

“Good.  Then  I’ll  tell  you  what  you  are 
to  do,  Uncle  Sam.  You  go  back  to  the  house 
and  do  what  I  tell  you.  If  you  can  find  any¬ 
thing  to  eat,  fill  your  pockets  with  it.  It 
doesn’t  make  any  difference  what  it  is  if 
it’s  something  that  we  can  eat.  Then  if  you 
can  find  an  old  coat,  bring  that.  If  you 
could  get  a  pistol  it  would  be  just  what  we 
need.  Do  you  think  you  can?” 

“I  didn’t  intend  to  go  back  to  the  house  at 
all.” 

“That’s  all  right.  You  can  go,  though. 
If  you  can  get  these  things  I’m  telling  you 
about,  we’ll  be  on  our  way  home  before  you 
know  it.  I’d  like  to  see  the  old  place, 
wouldn’t  you,  Uncle  Sam?  Seems  to  me  now 
I  can  almost  see  your  mother  sitting  there 
in  front  of  the  little  old  wood-colored  house 


A  SEARCH 


207 


where  you  lived.  I  think  she’ll  be  glad  to 
see  you,  Sam.” 

“Quit  that!” 

“And  then  when  you  start  up  the  street 
the  very  next  morning  after  you  arrive  in 
town  how  the  people  will  praise  you!  The 
boys  will  say,  4 There’s  Uncle  Sam!  The 
rebels  couldn’t  keep  him  in  their  prisons. 
He  was  too  slick  for  Lee  or  Stonewall  Jack- 
son.’  The  girls,  too,  Uncle  Sam,  will  all  be 
talking  about  you  and  when  they  see  you 
they’ll  be  proud  to  know  you.  Maybe 
they’ll — ” 

“Maybe  they’ll  what!”  broke  in  Samuel. 

“Oh,  you  know  as  well  as  I  do  what  the 
girls  will  do.  You  know  how  they  all  act 
when  they  see  the  boys  in  their  blue  uni¬ 
forms — ” 

“Come  on,  Taylor!”  interrupted  Samuel 
eagerly.  “Let’s  start  now.” 

“Come  back  here  in  two  hours  and  I  think 
we’ll  be  ready.  Don’t  let  Lieutenant  Evans 
or  anyone  else  suspect  that  you’ve  seen  me.” 

“I  won’t.  Where  you  going,  Taylor!” 

“Not  very  far  away.  I’ll  be  here  waiting 


208  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


for  you.  Don’t  forget  what  I  told  you  about 
something  to  eat — and  the  clothes  and  the 
pistol,  too,  if  you  can  find  one.” 

“I’ll  do  it,”  said  Samuel  excitedly.  “You 
really  think,  Taylor,  the  girls — ” 

“I  know  they  will,”  responded  Taylor 
quickly.  “You’d  better  start  now,  Sam.” 

Taylor  smiled  at  the  eagerness  with  which 
Samuel  started  in  the  direction  of  the  man¬ 
sion.  The  poor  half-witted  fellow  might 
have  serious  trouble  if  he  tried  to  carry  out 
the  suggestions  which  had  been  given  him, 
but  Taylor’s  conscience  at  the  time  did  not 
trouble  him.  He  was  persuaded,  too,  that 
Samuel  really  meant  what  he  said  when  he 
had  expressed  his  desire  to  accompany  him. 
Uncle  Sam  had  not  been  as  foolish  as  Lieu¬ 
tenant  Evans  had  believed  him  to  be  when 
he  had  brought  him  in  the  hope  that  he  would 
assist  in  running  down  the  prisoners  who 
had  escaped. 

As  soon  as  Samuel  was  gone,  Taylor 
started  briskly  toward  the  cabin  of  Aunt  Di¬ 
nah.  He  had  slight  fear  of  discovery  now, 
and  was  eager  to  satisfy  himself  concerning 
two  perplexing  questions.  Somehow  he  was 


A  SEARCH 


209 


convinced  that  Erwin  must  be  somewhere 
about  the  plantation.  The  questions  which 
Samuel  had  asked  Nebo  indicated  more  than 
appeared  and  Taylor  had  refrained  from  ask¬ 
ing  Uncle  Sam  until  a  later  time.  For  the 
present  he  preferred  to  act  upon  his  own 
impressions. 

In  a  brief  time  Taylor  approached  the  low 
cabin  of  Aunt  Dinah.  The  little  building  was. 
in  darkness  and  not  a  sound  could  he  hear 
from  within  it.  First  assuring  himself  that 
no  one  was  near,  Taylor  approached  the  front 
door  and  rapped.  His  summons  were  twice 
repeated  before  the  door  was  opened  and 
the  form  of  Aunt  Dinah  loomed  large  be¬ 
fore  him. 

“Who  darf”  demanded  the  negro  woman. 

“I’ll  tell  you,”  said  Taylor,  as  he  stepped 
inside  the  building.  “You  know  who  I  am 
now,”  he  added.  “I’ve  come  back  to  have 
you  help  me  again,  Aunt  Dinah.” 

“  ’Pears  lak  dey  all  do,”  grumbled  the 
woman,  recognizing  who  her  visitor  was. 

“Yes,  we  all  must  come  to  you,  Aunt  Di¬ 
nah.  You  are  our  friend.  Where  is  Nebo!” 

“WhafTur  yo’-all  want  ter  see  ’im!” 


210  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“I  must  see  him.” 

“Nebo  gwine  away.” 

“Has  he  gone!” 

“He  ain’  hyer.” 

“Where  is  ’Rastus!” 

“He  ain*  yere  neider.  Howcome  yo’  git 
away  fo’m  de  house  what  ’Rastus  done 
watch  !  ’  ’ 

“You  knew  I  would  not  stay  there,  Aunt 
Dinah.  So  did  ’Rastus  know  it,  too.” 

The  black  woman  chuckled  as  she  said, 
“Yo*  sho’ly  did  pester  ’Rastus.  Yo’  did’n 
come  outen  de  do’,  an’  de  winder  was 
fas\” 

“Did  Tom  do  anything  when  he  found  I 
was  gone!” 

“Mas’  Tom  clar  ter  goodness  yo’-all  is  des 
lak  de  smallpox — yo’  caint  fin’  de  way  how 
hit  get  inter  de  house  or  outen  hit.” 

“Never  mind  that  now,”  said  Taylor  hur¬ 
riedly.  “Has  anything  been  heard  of  my. 
friend!  I  mean  the  one  I  left  in  the  boat! 
when  I  first  came  here.” 

“Ah  reck’n  he  done  gone,  suh.” 

“Gone  where!” 

“To  de  norf.” 


A  SEARCH 


211 


“What  do  yon  mean!” 

“Hit’s  des  lak  Ah  tell  yo\  ’Pears  lak  two 
men  was  yere  dis  mo’nin’  an’  Nebo  he  done 
tak  ’em  bof  on  der  way.” 

By  dint  of  persistent  questioning  Taylor 
at  last  learned  that  two  men  who  had  escaped 
from  the  prison  pen  had  been  conducted  by 
one  of  the  blacks  on  “Mas’  Tom’s”  planta¬ 
tion  to  a  plantation  a  few  miles  northward. 
There  the  friendly  negroes  were  to  hide  and 
care  for  the  men  until  they  could  be  taken  to 
another  plantation  still  farther  away.  The 
plan  was  not  new  to  Taylor,  who  had  fre¬ 
quently  heard  of  this  “underground  rail¬ 
way,”  and,  indeed,  he  had  not  been  without 
hope  that  he  and  Erwin  might  secure  the  aid 
of  faithful  blacks  if  they  were  so  fortunate 
as  to  escape  from  Camp  Sorghum. 

The  one  pressing  problem  now  was  whether 
or  not  Erwin  had  really  been  one  of  the  two 
men  who  had  been  assisted  forward  by  the 
black  man  whom  Aunt  Dinah  had  referred  to 
as  Moses.  He  was  unable  to  obtain  from  her 
any  detailed  information  because  she  had  not 
seen  either  of  the  men. 

“Why  can’t  Nebo  or  ’Kastus  take  me  and 


212  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


perhaps  another  man  to  the  next  plantation 
to-night  V’  Taylor  asked. 

“  ’Rastus?  ’Rastus?  He’s  sho’ly  de  mos’ 
wuffless  man  wha’  Mas’  Tom  own!”  snorted 
Aunt  Dinah. 

“Then  let  Nebo  take  us.” 

“He’s  mos’  wuffless  ’s  ’Rastus.” 

“Let  him  try  it,”  suggested  Taylor 
eagerly. 

Somewhat  reluctantly,  Aunt  Dinah  at  last 
gave  her  consent.  It  was  plain  to  Taylor 
that  she  knew  more  about  her  son’s  where¬ 
abouts  than  she  had  admitted,  because  she 
promised  that  within  an  hour  he  would 
he  at  the  place  where  the  punt  had  been  left. 
When  Taylor  reported  his  theft  of  food  from 
beneath  the  trapdoor  in  the  floor,  Aunt  Dinah 
laughed  and  insisted  upon  his  taking  with 
him  another  large  piece  of  corn  bread.  When 
the  young  soldier  departed  from  the  cabin  his 
heart  was  warm  in  the  recollection  of  the 
black  woman’s  kindness.  He  was  still  deeply 
troubled  about  Erwin,  however,  when  at  last 
he  approached  the  bank  where  the  punt  had 
been  left. 


CHAPTER  XVII 


A  BLACK  LEADER 

Peering  cautiously  before  liim,  Taylor  saw 
the  tall  form  of  Samuel  approaching  from 
the  shore.  The  sight  was  not  surprising,  be¬ 
cause  the  young  soldier  somehow  had  been 
confident  that  Uncle  Sam  would  not  desert 
him.  Indeed,  it  was  the  fear  rather  than  the 
hope  that  the  unreliable  Samuel,  who  had  se¬ 
cured  permission  from  Lieutenant  Evans  to 
accompany  him  in  a  search  for  the  missing 
prisoners  against  whom  he  had  doubtless  ex¬ 
pressed  his  hostility,  would  remain  with  the 
escaping  prisoners  instead  of  with  the  young 
Confederate  officer.  Perhaps,  too,  the  lieu¬ 
tenant  had  not  been  unwilling  for  the  un¬ 
gainly  Samuel  to  be  “lost.”  His  presence 
apparently,  was  not  desired  by  either  of  the 
contending  forces. 

Taylor,  however,  was  not  afraid  of  Sam- 
uePs  misdeeds — he  understood  the  half-wit¬ 
ted  fellow  too  well  for  that.  Undesirable  his 

213 


214  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


company  might  be,  but  be  was  not  likely  to 
add  to  the  peril  and  might  even  be  of  service 
at  times.  Accordingly,  Taylor  confidently 
drew  near,  and,  in  a  low  voice,  inquired, 
“Anyone  been  seen  since  I  went  away?” 

“No.” 

“Has  Nebo — the  young  negro — been 
here?” 

“Nobody  has  been  here.” 

“Then  we  must  wait.” 

“What  are  we  waiting  for?” 

“Someone  is  coming.” 

“Who?  Erwin?” 

“I’m  afraid  not.  I  wish  be  was  coming. 
Haven’t  you  had  any  word  about  him,  Uncle 
Sam  ?  Did  the  lieutenant  say  anything  about 
him  ?  ’  ’ 

“No.  I  didn’t  bear  a  word  except  that  be 
was  sure  that  Erwin  would  be  found.  He 
couldn’t  get  away.” 

“Why  Erwin?  Didn’t  Lieutenant  Evans 
include  me,  too?” 

“Yes.  He  said  be ’d  have  you  both. ’ ’ 

“And  yet  you  are  going  to  take  your 
chances  with  us.” 

“Yes.” 


A  BLACK  LEADER 


215 


“.Why  is  that?” 

“I  don’t  know.  I  guess  it’s  because  I 
want  to.” 

“Did  you  tell  the  lieutenant  you’d  help 
find  us?” 

“He  thought  I  would.” 

“Didn’t  you  promise  you  would  help? 
Wasn’t  that  the  real  reason  why  he  brought 
you?” 

“Not  exactly,  Taylor,”  replied  Samuel  un¬ 
abashed.  “There  wasn’t  any  harm  in  let¬ 
ting  him  think  what  he  wanted  to,  was 
there?” 

“I  don’t  know,”  said  Taylor  moodily. 
“Come  on  into  the  punt.  We’ll  have  to  wait 
awhile.  ’  ’ 

Together  the  two  boys  made  their  way  to 
the  rude  little  craft  which  they  thrust  under 
the  projecting  branches.  There  the  young 
soldiers  waited  while  the  moments  slowly 
passed.  The  moon  was  up  now  and  in  its 
light  Taylor  could  see  across  the  cornfield 
to  the  low  cabins  of  the  negroes  in  the  dis¬ 
tance.  A  silence  rested  over  the  region  that 
was  so  tense  that  it  was  almost  oppressive. 
A  branch  snapped  on  the  shore  a  few  yards 


216  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


away  and  Taylor,  startled  by  the  sound, 
gazed  anxiously  in  the  direction  from  which 
it  had  come.  The  sound  was  not  repeated 
and  the  young  soldier’s  vigil  was  nnrelaxed. 

The  moon  climbed  higher  into  the  heavens. 
It  was  eleven  o’clock  now,  Taylor  thought, 
and  still  Nebo  did  not  come.  Fear  of  his 
not  coming  at  all  began  to  trouble  the  anxious 
boy.  The  danger  of  proceeding  without  a 
guide  was  as  great  as  that  of  remaining 
longer  where  they  then  were.  The  time  for 
action  of  some  kind  had  come.  Delay  was 
not  to  be  thought  of  longer. 

Slowly  Taylor  reached  past  his  silent  com¬ 
panion  to  grasp  the  long  pole.  He  had  de¬ 
cided  not  to  wait  any  longer  for  the  coming 
of  Nebo.  As  Taylor  thrust  the  pole  silently 
into  the  muddy  bottom  of  the  stream  he 
abruptly  stopped  when  he  became  aware  of 
♦  someone  on  the  bank.  A  hasty  glimpse  re¬ 
vealed  the  presence  of  Nebo.  Calling  softly, 
Taylor  directed  the  young  negro  to  the  place 
where  the  boat  was  concealed. 

“Here  we  are,  Nebo,”  whispered  Taylor. 
“Everything  all  right?” 

“Ah  don’  see  nobody.” 


A  BLACK  LEADER 


217 


“Have  any  word  about  my  friend?” 

“No,  suh.” 

“Are  you  ready  to  start ?” 

“All  spec’s  Ah’m  mos’  ’s  ready  ’s  Ah 
will  be.” 

“Good.  What’s  the  plan!” 

“We’ll  pole  de  punt  er  while.” 

“All  right.  Get  on  board,  Nebo.” 

The  young  negro  stepped  into  the  boat  and 
grasping  the  pole  pushed  the  little  craft  into 
the  stream.  For  a  time  no  one  spoke,  while 
Nebo,  manifestly  skilled  in  his  task,  pushed 
the  little  boat  forward.  Occasionally  he 
stopped  and  listened,  but  the  stillness  was 
unbroken. 

“Whose  punt  is  dis  yere?”  Nebo  inquired 
at  last. 

“Your’s,  Nebo,  when  we  leave  it.” 

“Ah  reck’n  we  mouglit  bettah  leabe  it, 
now,”  Nebo  promptly  responded. 

“You’ll  not  leave  us,  though?” 

“No,  suh.  No,  suh.  Not  yet,”  laughed 
the  young  negro.  “Dis  yere’s  de  place  wha’ 
we  leaves  de  punt,  suh.” 

“Where  are  we  going?” 

“To  Hitt’s  plantashun.” 


218  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


i ‘How  far  is  it  from  here?” 

“Hit’s  a  right  sma’t  way.” 

“Five  miles?” 

“Yas,  suh.” 

“How  do  we  go?” 

“Erlong  de  road,  suh,  foh  er  piece.  Hen 
we  leabs  de  road  an’  Ah ’ll  tak’  yo’-all  erlong 
de  blin’  road.” 

“The  ‘blind  road.’  What’s  that?” 

“Yo ’-all  will  see.  Ahcaintdes  ’splainany 
mo’.” 

“All  right,  Nebo,  We’ll  trust  you.” 

The  punt  was  carefully  concealed  by  its 
new  and  prospective  owner  and  when  the 
task  was  accomplished  the  three  men  made 
their  way  to  the  near-by  road.  Nebo’s  air 
of  timidity  apparently  was  gone  now.  He 
was  active,  cautious  and  confident.  Halting 
behind  the  rail  fence,  he  turned  to  his  com¬ 
panions  and  said  in  a  low  voice,  “He  bes’ 
way  now  is  fer  me  t’  go  ahaid.  Yo’-all  fol¬ 
low  des  a  little  way  behind.  If  Ah  see  any 
signs  er  de  whackers — ” 

“Of  what?” 

“Signs  er  de  bushwhackers — de  men  wha’ 
runs  der  plantashuns  in  de  daytime  an’  den 


A  BLACK  LEADER 


219 


in  de  night  dey  des  nacliully  gets  demselves 
t’gedder  an’  watches  de  roads.’ ’ 

“What  do  they  watch  the  roads  for?” 

“Foil  ter  cotch  de  pris’ners  which  am  es¬ 
capin’  outen  de  camp.” 

“What  shall  we  do  if  we  find  any  of  these 
men  1  ’  ’ 

“Das  des  wha’  Ali’m  ’splainin’  t’  yo’-all. 
Ah’m  goin’  ter  percede  aliaid  o’  yo’-all  an’ 
yo’  gemmens  is  ter  follow.  Does  Ah  mak’ 
dat  observation  pertinaciously  t’  yo’,  suh?” 

“Yes.  Yes,”  said  Taylor,  impatiently. 

“Den  ef  dat’s  des  sasfficen’ly  perlatatious, 
hit  des  nachully  follows,  suh,  dat  ef  Ah  goes 
ahaid  Ah’m  de  one  ter  mederfy  wif  de 
’nouncements  of  de  whackers  dere.  If  yo’ 
gemmens  follow,  den  yo’-all  ’s  de  ones  wha’ 
must  signerfy  de  ’structions  wlia’  come  f’om 
de  reah  ob  dis  yere  percession.  Is  dat  all 
’splicit?” 

“It  is  as  clear  as  moonlight.  You  are  to 
go  ahead,  and  if  you  find  any  danger  you  are 
to  warn  us.  We  are  to  follow  you,  and  if  we 
find  any  bad  signs  we  are  to  warn  you.” 

“Da’s  hit!  Da’s  hit,  suh,  ’s  sho’  ’s  yo’  ’re 
bo  ’n.  ’  ’ 


220  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“What  will  you  do — call  to  us?” 

“No,  suli.  All’ll  lif’  up  my  vocal  voice  an’ 
do  dis — ”  Nebo  suddenly  emitted  a  weird, 
shrill  cry  like  that  of  a  night  hawk.  The  cry 
was  repeated  three  times  and  was  agreed 
upon  as  the  warning  of  danger. 

“Co’se  you  gemmens  isn’t  ’spected  ter  try 
dat,”  said  Nebo,  graciously.  “Yo’-all  is  des 
ter  shout  an’  cry  erloud  an’  spare  not.  All’ll 
sho’ly  understan’.” 

The  change  from  the  glum,  silent  Nebo  to 
the  talkative  and  self-conscious  leader  was  as 
amazing  as  it  was  puzzling.  There  was  no 
opportunity  for  explanation,  however,  and  in 
a  few  moments  the  three  boys  were  walking 
along  the  rough  roadway,  the  order  of  ad¬ 
vance  being  that  which  Nebo  already  had 
suggested. 

The  young  negro  could  not  be  seen  as  he 
led  the  way,  but  occasionally  he  stopped  and 
waited  for  his  companions  to  join  him.  Not 
a  sign  of  danger  had  thus  far  been  seen,  and 
Taylor’s  hopes  were  brighter  than  when  the 
journey  began.  His  greatest  anxiety  was 
concerning  the  fate  of  Erwin.  The  possibil¬ 
ity  that  his  friend  had  been  one  of  the  two 


A  BLACK  LEADER 


221 


men  to  whom  Aunt  Dinah  had  referred  as 
having  been  already  conducted  by  faithful 
negroes  to  a  plantation  farther  north  was  in 
Taylor’s  thoughts,  and  he  tried  to  make  much 
of  the  report.  From  Nebo  Taylor  had  not 
been  able  to  learn  anything  definite  concern¬ 
ing  the  previous  party  he  had  led.  Whether 
this  was  due  to  the  negro’s  unwillingness  to 
enter  into  any  details,  or  was  the  result  of 
stupidity,  Taylor  could  not  determine.  He 
was  positive  that  he  had  adopted  his  best 
plan  in  following  Nebo.  Further  discoveries, 
he  decided,  must  be  left  to  the  events  of  the 
coming  day. 

Three  times  Nebo  had  halted  and  reas¬ 
sured  his  followers  that  the  way  was  clear. 
After  a  brief  rest  the  journey  each  time  had 
been  eagerly  resumed,  and  now  Nebo  de¬ 
clared  that  the  end  was  not  far  distant. 

The  road  now  led  through  a  long  and  some¬ 
what  dismal  stretch  of  woods.  The  waving 
branches,  weird  and  leafless,  seemed  almost 
like  the  arms  of  men  extended  in  warning. 
The  shadows  of  the  trees  were  almost  ghostly 
as  they  flickered  or  danced  on  the  road.  Nei¬ 
ther  Samuel  nor  Taylor  spoke,  though  both 


222  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


were  looking  forward  to  the  cleared  tract 
which  Nebo  had  assured  them  lay  not  far  be¬ 
yond  the  borders  of  the  woods. 

Suddenly  there  was  a  shout  heard  by  the 
boys.  The  sound  came  from  a  place  not  far 
in  advance  of  them.  Halting  abruptly,  Tay¬ 
lor  listened  intently  for  the  warning  call  of 
Nebo.  He  could  hear  the  voices  of  men  and 
was  able  to  distinguish  that  of  the  young  ne¬ 
gro,  who  was  loudly  protesting,  althougjh 
Taylor  was  unable  to  hear  what  was  said.  It 
was  evident  that  Nebo  had  been  abruptly 
halted,  and  it  was  plain  that  several  men 
were  in  the  band  or  party  that  had  accosted 
him. 

“Come!  Come  on!”  whispered  Taylor 
abruptly,  as  he  turned  and  grasped  Samuel 
by  the  arm. 

Without  a  protest,  Uncle  Sam  followed  as 
his  companion  ran  swiftly  back  over  the  road. 
They  had  gone  a  hundred  yards  or  more 
when  Taylor  turned  sharply  into  the  woods 
and  then  ordered  his  companion  to  follow  his 
example,  as  he  stretched  himself  upon  the 
ground  behind  the  trunk  of  a  large  tree  that 
at  some  time  had  been  uprooted  by  a  storm. 


A  BLACK  LEADER 


223 


Breathlessly  the  boys  waited.  Taylor  was 
peering  above  the  trunk  of  the  tree  behind 
which  he  was  hiding.  ‘ ‘ There !”  he  whis¬ 
pered  excitedly  a  moment  later  to  his  com¬ 
panion.  “It  is  just  as  I  thought  it  would  be. 
They’re  coming  this  way  and  they  have  Nebo 
with  them!  Keep  out  of  sight!  Don’t 
move!  Don’t  speak!” 

In  a  brief  time,  Taylor,  who  still  was  peer¬ 
ing  over  the  fallen  tree,  saw  the  party  ap¬ 
proaching.  He  was  trusting  to  the  darkness 
to  hide  him.  The  moonlight  enabled  him  to 
see  into  the  road  and  in  a  brief  time  he 
counted  eight  men  in  the  approaching  band. 
In  the  midst  he  could  discern  the  form  of 
Nebo.  Manifestly  the  men  were  all  excited, 
and  they  were  talking  so  loudly  that  as  they 
drew  near  Taylor  was  able  to  hear  what  was 
said. 

“Yo’re  Tom  Baby’s  Nebo,  aren’t  yo’?” 
one  of  the  party  noisily  was  demanding. 

“Yaas,  suh,”  replied  the  young  negro. 

“Does  Tom  know  yo’  are  heali  1  ’ ’ 

“No,  suh.” 

“What  are  yo’  heah  fob?” 

“Ah’se  des  gwine  ter  see — ” 


224  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“That’s  a  likely  story,”  interrupted  an¬ 
other  of  the  men  with  a  loud  laugh.  “Do 
yo’  know  what  happens  t’  niggers  when  they 
help  the  Yanks?  They  jest  nachelly  stretch 
hemp.  Do  yo’-all  want  t’  try  that?” 

“No,  suh.  No,  suh,”  stammered  Nebo,  his 
teeth  chattering  in  his  terror. 

“Then  tell  us  whar  the  Yanks  are!  Tell 
us,  or  we-all  ’ll  string  yo’  up  t’  th’  nearest 
tree.  Heah,  Ben,”  the  man  added  savagely, 
“try  yer  new  rope  on  th’  nigger!” 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


THE  BLIND  ROAD 

For  a  moment  Taylor  hesitated.  The  band 
of  eight  bushwackers  were  standing  about  the 
terrified  young  negro.  By  their  actions  the 
prospect  of  serious  trouble  for  Nebo  was 
more  than  threatening.  Ought  he  to  lie  still 
and  permit  their  leader  to  suffer,  or  was  it 
better  to  give  themselves  up  and  thereby  save 
his  life,  was  the  question  now  in  Taylor’s 

mind.  The  thought  of  the  conditions  in  the 

• 

prison  camp,  as  well  as  of  the  escape  and  the 
troubles  through  which  he  had  come,  was  also 
vivid.  If,  to  save  the  frightened  negro,  he 
should  now  surrender,  it  would  mean,  as  Tay¬ 
lor  well  knew,  a  condition  for  himself  much 
worse  than  any  he  had  previously  known. 

Hesitation  departed  quickly.  Hard  as  it 
must  be  to  give  himself  into  the  hands  of 
these  men,  and  to  be  returned  to  Camp  Sor¬ 
ghum,  there  to  be  punished  for  his  escape,  as 


226  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


well  as  to  abandon  all  future  hope  of  release, 
such  conditions  would  not  be  so  unbearable 
as  the  knowledge  that  the  faithful  young 
black  had  met  his  death  while  he  was  aiding 
the  young  prisoners  in  their  attempts  to  es¬ 
cape.  He  decided  that  he  would  announce 
his  presence  if  Nebo’s  plight  should  become 
desperate. 

Taylor,  the  decision  once  made,  waited 
while  he  watched  the  proceedings  in  the  road. 
The  man  whom  the  leader  addressed  as  Ben 
advanced,  having  a  rope  in  his  hands.  All 
the  men  were  armed.  Crowding  about  the 
negro,  they  appeared  to  be  all  excited,  and 
doubtless  were  a  desperate  band.  They  were 
all  strong,  too,  as  was  manifest  in  their  bear¬ 
ing. 

“Slip  the  noose  ovah  his  head,  Ben,”  called 
the  leader. 

The  man  stepped  forward  and  adjusted  the 
rope  about  Nebo’s  neck. 

“Now,  suh,  fling  th’  rope  ovah  the  branch,” 
called  the  leader. 

The  rope  was  adjusted  in  accordance  with 
the  command. 

4  ‘  Now,  then,  foah  o ’  yo  ’-all  get  hold.  When 


THE  BLIND  BO  AD 


227 


I  say  th’  word,  stretch  tli’  nigger.  When 
yo  ’-all  pull,  pull  ha  ’d.  ’  ’ 

Taylor  moved  as  if  he  were  about  to  rise 
from  his  position  behind  the  log. 

“Now,  Nebo,  yo’  wan’  ter  say  yo’ 
prayers ?”  demanded  the  leader,  as  he  turned 
to  their  trembling  victim. 

Taylor  thought  he  could  hear  the  chatter¬ 
ing  teeth  of  the  terrified  young  negro.  Ap¬ 
parently  the  privilege  either  was  ignored  or 
not  understood,  for  not  a  word  at  first  was 
spoken  by  Nebo.  Suddenly,  however,  the 
victim  seemed  to  realize  more  completely  the 
peril  that  was  threatening  him.  In  a  voice 
shrill  and  so  loud  that  it  could  have  been 
heard  far  away,  Nebo  screeched,  “Ali’se 
Mas’  Tom’s  nigger — Mas’  Tom  Raby’s!  Ef 
yo’-all  doan  look  out,  yo’-all  ’ll  have  Mas’ 
Tom  atter  you’.  Ali’se  wuth  mor’n  a  thou- 
san’  dollalis,  Ah  done  heali  Mas’  Tom  say  so 
liisself.  Yo’-all  kin  hang  me  ef  yo’  says  so, 
but  wha’ll  Mas’  Tom  have  fob  ter  say  ’bout 
hit?  He’ll—” 

The  men  laughed  loudly  at  the  words  of 
the  negro,  but  it  was  manifest  that  what  he 
had  said  had  not  been  without  its  effect  upon 


228  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


them.  If  indeed,  as  Taylor  shrewdly  sus¬ 
pected,  their  sole  purpose  was  to  frighten 
their  victim  into  telling  what  they  thought 
he  knew,  and  not  to  do  him  any  bodily  harm, 
Nebo’s  words  certainly  added  to  his  sus¬ 
picion. 

“What  ’ll  Tom  Eaby  do  ef  he  heahs  yo’-all 
have  been  helpin’  th’  Yanks  to  git  out?”  de¬ 
manded  one  of  the  band. 

“Ah  spec’s  he’ll  sen’  foh  Big  Jim,”  said 
Nebo,  eagerly.  As  Big  Jim  was  the  over¬ 
seer  of  the  Eaby  plantation,  every  man 
within  Nebo’s  hearing  understood  what  was 
implied  in  the  suggestion. 

“If  yo’  tell  us,  Nebo,  whar  th’  Yanks  are, 
we’ll  let  yo’  go.  Futliermo’  we’ll  fo’get  t’ 
tell  Tom  Eaby  yo’-all  was  caught  yere  by 
we-uns,”  suggested  the  leader  of  the  little 
band.  Taylor  was  convinced  now  that  no 
real  harm  would  be  done  the  negro.  His 
eagerness  to  hear  what  Nebo  would  say,  how¬ 
ever,  was  so  keen  that  he  lifted  his  head  still 
higher  above  the  log. 

“Ah  dunno  whar  they  be,”  moaned  Nebo. 

“How  many  were  with  yo’.” 

“Foah,  suh.” 


THE  BLIND  ROAD 


229 


“  Where  was  yo’-all  er  takin’  ’em!” 

“Des  nowhar,  sub.  Ali’m  tellin’  yo’-all 
de  truf,”  Nebo  added  eagerly,  when  the  band 
laughed  noisily.  “Ah  des  wanted  foh  ter  git 
’em  gone.  Dey  was  sho’ly  de  mos’  disde- 
lapdated  trash  what  Ah  eber  see,  sub.” 

“Why  didn’t  yo’-all  tell  Tom  Raby!” 

“Ah  did,  suh!  Ah  sho’  did!  Mas’  Tom 
done  shet  one  oh  ’em  up’n  ole  Hagar’s  house 
an’  he  done  set  my  fader  foh  ter  watch  out  fo’ 
de  place.  But  de  Yank  des  didn’t  stay.  ’Pears 
lak  yo’  des  caint  hoi’  ’em  in  Camp  Sorghum 
no  mo’n  yo’  can  in  old  Hagar’s  house.” 

“Where  mought  tli’  Yanks  he  now!” 

“Ah  dunno,  suh.  Ah  specs  dey  done  gone 
hack  ter  Mas’  Tom’s  place.” 

“Wheah  was  yo’  a  takin’  ’em,  Nebo!” 

“Ah  wasn’t  takin’  ’em  nowliar,  suh.  Dey 
des  naclielly  makes  me  go.  And  Ah  shore 
was  glad  foh  ter  get  ’em  outen  de  place 
dar.  ’  ’ 

“Yes.  Yes.  But  where  are  they  now!” 

“Ah  caint  des  ’pear  fo’  ter  rec’lec’  at  dis 
yere  moment,  suh.  When  day  seed  yo’-all, 
’pears  lak  dey  couldn’  des  git  away  fas’ 
’nough.  Dey  was  makin’  tracks  like  dey 


230  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


thought  dey  would  rather  tak  dey  chances 
back  in  Camp  So’ghum  dan  wid  yo’-all.” 

“Did  they  come  back  this  way?”  demanded 
the  man  quickly,  as  he  glanced  back  over  the 
road. 

“  ’Pears  lak  dey  did.” 

“Are  yo’  shuali,  Nebo?  If  we-uns  fin’ 
yo’re  lyin’,  we’ll  git  two  ropes.  When  we  go 
ter  Tom  Raby  fo’  ter  tell  him  ’bout  yo’ 
doin’s,  he’ll  give  us  two  moah.  An’  we’ll 
use  ’em  all  on  you,  you  black  houn’  dog, 
ef  we-all  fin’  yo’ve  been  a  deceivin’  of 
us!” 

“Hit’s  de  truf,”  persisted  Nebo,  fran¬ 
tically.  ‘ 1  Dey  is  come  back  dis  yere  way.  ’  ’ 

“Why  didn’t  yo’  say  so?”  retorted  the 
leader,  angrily.  “We-all  mus’  get  th’  Yanks. 
Go  back  an’  get  yer  dawgs,  Sim,”  he  ordered 
one  of  his  men.  “Two  creep  erlong  th’  road, 
one  on  each  side,  while  Jeff  an’  I  follow  up. 
Th’  rest  of  yo’-all  go  back  ovah  th’  way  we 
don’  come  an’  see  if  the’s  any  sign  o’  Yanks 
ahead.  ’  ’ 

“What’ll  we  do  with  Nebo?”  inquired  one 
of  the  band. 

“Take  him  erlong  with  us,”  replied  the 


THE  BLIND  ROAD  231 

leader,  as  he  removed  the  rope  from  the  ne¬ 
gro’s  neck. 

The  directions  were  speedily  followed  and 
almost  before  Taylor  was  aware,  the  entire 
band  had  disappeared.  The  departure  of 
the  negro,  the  probability  that  dogs  would  be 
used  in  the  search,  the  knowledge  that  three 
of  the  men  were  on  the  road  in  the  direction 
in  which  the  escaping  prisoners  had  been 
proceeding,  all  added  to  the  difficulties  which 
now  confronted  Taylor. 

4 ‘Uncle  Sam,”  he  whispered,  “we  must  get 
out  of  this  place.” 

“Where!” 

“I  don’t  know.  Somewhere.  Anywhere.” 

“Better  stay  right  where  we  are.” 

“No,  they’ll  have  dogs.  They’ll  all  be 
back  pretty  soon.  They’ll  find  us,  too,  if  we 
stay  here  till  it  is  light.” 

“No,  they  won’t.  This  is  the  best  place. 
I’m  tired,  anyway.” 

“I’m  going  on,”  said  Taylor  quietly,  as  he 
arose. 

“Well,  I  guess  I’ll  have  to  go,  too,  then,” 
replied  Samuel,  as  he  also  arose.  “But 
we’ll  lose  our  way.” 


232  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“We  haven’t  found  it.” 

“Go  ahead.” 

Together  the  two  boys  stepped  cautiously 
into  the  road.  Not  a  person  was  in  sight. 
The  night  was  far  advanced  and  silence 
rested  over  the  region.  Apparently  Samuel 
was  indifferent  alike  to  his  surroundings  and 
to  the  peril  in  which  he  and  his  companion 
stood.  He  was  complaining  in  a  low  voice 
of  the  cold  and  of  his  feeling  of  hunger. 

Ignoring  Samuel,  Taylor  delayed  a  few  mo¬ 
ments  to  satisfy  himself  that  no  one  was  in 
the  immediate  vicinity.  As  soon  as  he  was 
convinced  that  they  were  alone  he  said 
sharply,  “Come  on,  Uncle  Sam.” 

Making  no  protest,  Samuel  followed  obedi¬ 
ently,  and  together  they  started,  walking 
briskly  in  the  direction  in  which  they  had 
been  going,  when  they  had  been  halted  by 
the  coming  of  the  bushwhackers. 

In  Taylor’s  thoughts,  now,  that  of  the  blind 
road  to  which  Nebo  had  referred  was  prom¬ 
inent.  What  this  road  was,  or  how  it  was  to 
he  found,  he  did  not  know.  The  young  negro 
had  said  it  led  to  Hitt’s  Plantation,  what- 


THE  BLIND  ROAD 


QOO 

Zoo 

ever  or  where  that  might  be.  In  a  general 
way,  Taylor  understood  that  it  was  about  five 
miles  northward  from  that  where  he  had  been 
sheltered  in  the  cabin  of  Aunt  Dinah.  As 
nearly  as  he  was  able  to  estimate  the  distance 
they  had  come,  he  did  not  think  more  than 
three  miles  at  the  utmost  had  been  covered. 
Plainly  there  were  friendly  negroes  on  the 
Hitt  Plantation,  which  was  one  of  the  “  sta¬ 
tions’  ’  on  the  underground  railway  that  led 
to  freedom. 

Watching  either  side  of  the  road  as  they 
advanced,  Taylor  at  last  halted  abruptly. 
Pulling  his  companion  with  him,  he  turned 
into  what  appeared  to  be  an  opening  in  the 
brush  by  the  roadside.  A  hasty  examination 
revealed  the  presence  of  ruts  which  wagon 
wheels  had  worn  in  the  ground.  The  en¬ 
trance  was  almost  hidden  by  the  bushes,  and 
yet  a  wagon  easily  could  be  driven  through 
it. 

Was  this  the  blind  road?  There  was  no 
answer  to  the  question.  The  pathway  led 
among  trees  and  could  be  seen  for  only  a 
short  distance.  The  main  road  was  unsafe 


234  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


at  best.  With  the  men  searching  it,  as  Tay¬ 
lor  knew  them  to  be,  the  peril  of  discovery 
was  increased. 

“Come  on,  Uncle  Sam,”  he  said  abruptly 
in  a  low  voice.  “I  don't  know  where  this 
path  leads,  but  we'll  try  it  awhile.  It  can’t 
be  any  worse  for  us  than  the  main  road  any¬ 
way.  ' ' 

Making  no  protest,  Samuel  followed  his 
friend,  who  led  the  way  slowly  and  cautious¬ 
ly.  The  road  was  not  difficult,  for  the  soil  was 
soft,  and  not  many  rocks  were  in  it.  The 
darkness  which  the  trees  produced  made  the 
objects  on  either  side  dim.  Men  might  be 
watching  or  following,  but  no  one  would  be 
aware  of  their  presence  until  they  were  close 
upon  them. 

As  the  boys  advanced,  Taylor  became  more 
convinced  that  they  were  following  a  path¬ 
way  which  was  only  occasionally  used. 
Whether  or  not  it  was  the  blind  road  that 
led  to  the  Hitt  Plantation  only  their  further 
progress  would  reveal.  At  all  events,  for  the 
time  it  was  safer  for  the  boys  to  be  there  than 
on  the  open  road.  Taylor  accordingly  kept 
steadily  on  his  way,  still  walking  slowly  and 


THE  BLIND  BO  AD 


235 


frequently  stopping  to  ascertain  if  buildings 
or  men  were  near. 

Already  be  bad  formed  a  vague  plan  and 
was  now  attempting  to  supplement  it.  Tlie 
road  must  liave  an  end,  and  tliere  must  also 
be  a  reason  for  its  being  where  it  was.  Even 
if  the  plantation  be  was  seeking  was  not  near 
it,  some  people  must  be  found,  for  a  road 
without  men  was  an  absurdity.  If  these  men 
chanced  to  be  negroes  he  was  confident  of 
help.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  were  white, 
they  still  might  be  willing  to  give  him  food  or 
shelter. 

Just  as  the  dawn  appeared,  the  boys  came 
to  the  border  of  the  woods  through  which 
they  had  wearily  made  their  way.  They 
were  now  looking  across  open  fields.  On  the 
border  beyond  them  were  rude  buildings. 

“This  is  a  plantation  of  some  kind,”  sug¬ 
gested  Taylor. 

“Is  it!”  inquired  Samuel,  indifferently. 

“Yes.  Over  there  are  cabins,”  continued 
Taylor,  pointing  to  the  low  buildings  he  had 
already  seen.  “One  of  us  must  go  there. 
Will  you  go,  or  shall  I!” 

“You.” 


236  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“All  right.  There’s  only  one  thing  for 
you  to  do,  Uncle  Sam.” 

“What’s  that?” 

“You  stay  right  here  till  I  come  back.” 

“Suppose  you  don’t  come  back?” 

‘  ‘  Then  wait  till  noon.  Don ’t  move.  ’  ’ 

“I’ll  go  to  sleep,  I  guess.” 

6  ‘  Good.  But  don ’t  make  much  noise.  ’  ’ 

“I  shan’t,”  said  Samuel,  solemnly.  “I 
told  you  I  was  going  to  sleep.” 

“That’s  what  I  meant.” 

Delaying  no  longer,  Taylor  started  briskly 
across  the  open  fields.  The  light  steadily 
was  becoming  clearer  and  in  the  fear  of  be¬ 
ing  seen  he  began  to  proceed  more  rapidly. 
In  a  brief  time  he  arrived  at  the  nearest  of 
the  huts.  No  one  was  to  be  seen  near  it, 
and  the  place  was  still.  Moving  on  to  the 
nearest  hut,  the  young  soldier  hesitatingly 
stopped  before  the  door.  Ought  he  to  rap 
and  seek  an  entrance? 

The  question  was  abruptly  answered  for 
him  when  the  door  suddenly  was  opened  and 
a  young  white  girl,  apparently  near  his  own 
age,  appeared.  Staring  at  Taylor,  she  hesi¬ 
tated  a  moment  and  then  quickly  approached. 


CHAPTER  XIX 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 

“Who  are  you?  What  are  you  doing  here 
at  this  time  in  the  morning? ”  demanded  the 
girl,  gazing  at  Taylor  in  anger  or  alarm.  The 
young  soldier,  coatless,  hatless,  his  clothing 
torn,  his  feet  almost  bare,  was  aware  that  his 
appearance  was  far  from  being  assuring. 
The  girl  before  him  plainly  belonged  to  the 
class  that  dwelt  in  the  big  house.  She  was 
simply  dressed  and  in  her  face  the  expression 
of  sympathy  which  Taylor  had  noticed  when 
she  first  appeared,  had  now  given  place  to 
one  in  which  pity  apparently  found  no  part. 
Nevertheless,  Taylor  abruptly  decided  to  tell 
her  who  he  was  and  to  trust  her  for  aid  in 
his  desperate  plight. 

“Just  at  present, ”  he  said,  “I  am  doing 
nothing.  IPs  an  occupation  I  would  like  to 
keep  up  for  a  week,  judging  from  my  feel¬ 
ings.  ” 


237 


238  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


4 ‘Who  are  you?”  repeated  the  girl  sharply. 
She  was  almost  staring  at  him  in  her  mani¬ 
fest  excitement,  though  she  did  not  advance 
any  nearer. 

She  was  standing  about  fifteen  feet  in  front 
of  him,  but  there  was  no  evidence  of  alarm 
now  in  her  bearing. 

“Do  you  mean  my  name?” 

“Yes.  Yes.  Who  are  you?” 

“My  name  is  Cooper — Taylor  Cooper.” 

“What  are  you?” 

“I  was  once  a  soldier.  I  belong  to  the 
— th  New  York.” 

“You  are  a  Yankee!”  exclaimed  the  girl 
scornfully. 

‘  6  I  am. ’  ’ 

“Have  you  come  here  to  rob  us?  You 
probably  knew  our  men  are  not  at  home. 
You  are  as  brave  as  the  rest  of  them — when 
there  are  no  men  around!  Now,  what  do 
you  want?” 

“I  haven’t  asked  for  anything,  have  I?” 

“You  look  as  if  you  might  ask  for  our 
lives.” 

“Perhaps  you’ll  understand  when  I  tell 
you  I  have  escaped  from  Camp  Sorghum.” 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 


239 


“At  Columbia V1 

“  Yes.” 

“Wliy  do  you  tell  me  tliisf  I  liaven  ’t  any 
pity  for  the  Yankees  shut  up  there.  If  I 
had  my  way  I A  put  every  one  of  them  behind 
bars  along  with  other  criminals.”  The 
girl’s  dark  eyes  flashed  as  she  spoke. 

Taylor  looked  at  her  a  moment  without 
speaking.  Then  he  laughed  as  he  said, 
“Your  sentiments  are  not  of  your  heart.” 

“Yes,  they  are,  too!”  retorted  the  girl, 
sharply.  “What  are  you  but  a  lot  of — of — 
men  worse  than  cutthroats  or  thieves  !  Why 
are  you  here  !  What  did  you  come  down  here 
for  anyway!  You  have  robbed  our  houses, 
shot  our  men,  stolen  our  crops,  burned  our 
homes — Oh,  I  don ’t  know  all  you  have  done ! 
And — and  you  have  the  audacity  to  stand  be¬ 
fore  me  and  tell  me  you  are  a  Yankee  sol¬ 
dier  just  escaped  from  Camp  Sorghum ! 
Why — why,  I  never  heard  anything  like  it  in 
all  my  bo’n  days.  How  do  you  know  I’ll  not 
turn  you  over  at  once  to  some  of  our  brave 
men !  ’  ’ 

“You’ll  not  do  it,”  said  Taylor,  quietly. 
He  could  not  explain  why  he  was  not  afraid. 


240  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


The  girl  manifestly  was  intense  in  her  devo¬ 
tion  to  the  Confederate  cause.  Her  anger  or 
indignation  and  her  sharp  words  somehow 
seemed  to  interest  greatly  the  young  soldier, 
and  his  admiration  for  the  glowing  cheeks 
and  shining  eyes  of  the  girl,  loyal  to  her  own, 
was  not  concealed.  “No,  you 41  not  do  it,” 
he  added. 

‘  ‘  Why  won ’t  I  ?  ” 

“You  can’t.” 

“I  can’t!  Lieutenant  Evans  will  be  here 
at  ten  o’clock.  What  will  prevent  me  from 
telling  him  there  is  a  poor,  wretched  creature 
on  our  plantation  who  says  he  is  a  Yankee 
prisoner — ” 

“Was,  not  ‘is’  a  prisoner,  if  you  please,” 
interrupted  Taylor. 

“It’s  all  the  same!” 

“Is  it?  If  you  were  in  Camp  Sorghum  for 
a  day  or  two  I  think  you’d  change  your  mind. 
Here  I  am  free.  It’s  true  my  coat  does  not 
fit  me,  my  shoes  have  not  been  blacked,  my 
clothes  are  not  in  perfect  condition,  and  I 
am  almost  starved.  But  what  is  all  that 
compared  with  the  misery  and  filth  of  the 
camp  ?  ’  ’ 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 


241 


“If  yon  don’t  like  it,  wliy  did  you  come 
down  here?” 

“You  know  why  I  came,”  said  Taylor, 
quietly. 

“No,  I  don’t  know.  I  can’t  think  of  any 
excuse.  There  isn’t  a  reason  in  all  the  world 
— but  one,”  she  added,  sharply. 

“What’s  that?” 

“You  just  wanted  to  fill  the  heads  of  the 
negroes  full  of  wrong  ideas.  You  wanted  to 
steal  our  silver.  You  hate  us — ” 

“  ‘Hate’  you?  You’re  mistaken!  I  don’t 
hate  you.  On  the  contrary  I — ” 

“Then  tell  me  why  you  didn’t  leave  us 
alone.  We  never  troubled  you.  We  never 
went  north  and  shot  your  men — ”  The  girl 
stopped  abruptly,  her  eyes  filling  with  tears ; 
but  whether  her  emotion  was  due  to  sorrow 
or  to  anger,  Taylor  was  unable  to  decide. 

“Listen  a  minute,  will  you?”  pleaded  Tay¬ 
lor.  The  girl’s  unconscious  declaration  that 
no  men  were  on  the  plantation  as  well  as  the 
fact  that  it  was  early  in  the  morning  relieved 
him  of  part  of  his  fear.  Besides,  the  girl, 
in  spite  of  the  intensity  of  her  feelings,  was 
somehow  most  interesting.  “Tell  me  who 


242  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


began  this  war?  Did  we  of  the  north V' 

“Of  course  you  did?” 

“Please  tell  me  how.” 

“You-all  sent  your  armies  down  here.” 

“Why?” 

“I’ve  told  you  already.  You  just  wanted 
to  steal,  burn — Oh,  I  can’t  tell  you  all  the 
horrible  things  your  men  have  done.” 

“Who  began  the  war?  Was  it  our  men  who 
fired  on  one  of  the  government’s  forts?” 

“You  mean  the  fort  at  Charleston?” 

“Yes.  Port  Sumter.” 

“That  was  in  our  territory.” 

“Then  why  did  you  attack  it?” 

“Because — because — Oh,  I  hate  the  Yan¬ 
kees  !  ’  ’ 

“Me,  too?” 

“Of  course!  Most  of  all!  You  are  a 
Yankee,  and  one  of  the  few  I  ever  saw.” 

“And  you  don’t  like  the  looks  of  me?”  in¬ 
quired  Taylor  quizzically,  as  he  looked  down 
at  his  dilapidated  clothing. 

“You’re  not  to  blame  for  everything,”  said 
the  girl  quickly,  following  his  glance. 
“You’re  a  Yankee.  You’re  on  my  father’s 
plantation — ” 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 


243 


“Not  because  I  want  to  be,”  interrupted 
Taylor  with  a  laugh.  “If  I  had  my  wish  I’d 
be  a  thousand  miles  from  here  this  morn¬ 
ing.  ’  ’ 

“I  wish  you  were,”  said  the  girl  not  un¬ 
kindly. 

‘  ‘  Thank  you.  I  knew  you  had  a  good 
heart.  ’  ’ 

“You  don’t  know  anything  about  me.” 

“I  think  I  know  more  than  I  did  an  hour 
ago.” 

“And  less,  perhaps,  than  you  will  an  hour 
from  now.” 

“I’m  sure  of  that.” 

“Sure  of  what!” 

“That  I  shall  never  forget  how  good  you 
were  to  me.” 

“  ‘Good’  to  you!  Why  should  I  be  good 

to  the  worst  enemv  I  have!” 

* 

“There’s  something  somewhere  I  have 
read,  ’  ’  said  Taylor,  drily,  ‘  ‘  that  if  even  your 
enemy  hungers  you  are  to  feed  him.  ’  ’ 

The  girl  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  as  if 
her  feelings  at  the  time  would  more  clearly 
find  expression  in  other  ways  than  “feeding” 
an  enemy.  “If  I  thought  you’d  leave  our 


244  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


country  I  might  help  you  do  that/’  she  said, 
after  a  moment’s  silence. 

“  Whether  I  leave  the  country  or  not  de¬ 
pends  on  you  and  your  people  more  than  it 
does  on  me.” 

“Why  does  it?  How  does  it?  I  don’t  un¬ 
derstand  you,  sir.” 

“I  told  you  a  moment  ago  that  our  men  are 
not  down  here  in  the  South  because  we  want 
to  be.  We  didn’t  begin  the  war.  We’d  be 
glad  to  stop  it  anytime.  There’s  just  one 
word  and  the  whole  thing  is  fixed.  ’  ’ 

“What  word?” 

“I  don’t  think  I’ll  say  it  for  you.  You 
know  what  it  is  as  well  as  I.” 

“You  mean  ‘ surrender’?”  she  demanded 
with  flashing  eyes.  “Never!  We’ll  never 
say  that  as  long — as  long  as  there’s  one  man 
left  in  the  Southland.  And  if  the  last  man 
falls  then  the  girls  and  the  women  will  take 
it  up!” 

“That  all  rests  with  you,”  said  Taylor, 
soberly.  “We  didn ’t  begin  it.  W e  don ’t  like 
it.  We’d  be  glad  to  have  it  stop  to-day. 
But  when  a  country  is  attacked  what  would 
you  have  it  do  ?  Smile  ?  Say  ‘  Thank  you,  a 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 


245 


little  more,  please,’  or  would  you  have  the 
men  stand  up  and  fight  ?  ’  ’ 

“You  are  not  defending  your  country. 
You  are  attacking  ours.” 

“Is  that  the  way  you  talked  when  Old 
Hickory  fought  the  Seminoles?” 

“It’s  the  way  we  talk  now!”  said  the  girl, 
defiantly.  “Oh,”  she  added  in  softer  tones, 
“you  don’t  know  what  it  means!  We’re  in 
fear  of  our  lives  every  minute.  When  I  first 
saw  you  I  took  you  for  a  cutthroat  Yankee.” 

“A  Yankee,  hut  no  cutthroat.” 

“Either  word  will  do.  They  both  mean 
the  same  thing.” 

“You  hate  me  so  much  you’ll  help  me, 
though,”  suggested  Taylor. 

“I’ll  never  help  you!  What  do  you 
want  1  ’  ’ 

“A  little  food,  a  place  in  which  to  hide,  and 
a  coat,  if  you  please.” 

“We  never  yet  have  turned  away  a  beg¬ 
gar.  ’  ’ 

Slowly  the  color  spread  over  Taylor’s  face, 
so  deep  that  even  its  coating  of  dirt  could 
not  hide  it.  He  turned  away  as  if  there  was 
nothing  more  to  be  said. 


246  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Wait  a  minute!  I  did  not  mean  that — 
at  least,  I  did  not  mean  what  you  thought  I 
meant/ ’  the  girl  exclaimed  eagerly.  “You 
see  it’s  this  way.  My  father — ”  her  voice 
broke  a  moment,  but  she  quickly  regained 
control  of  herself.  “My  father  was  shot  at 
— at  the  second  battle  of  Manassas.  Both 
my  brothers  are  in  Johnston’s  army.  If  I 
had  two  more  brothers  I’d  have  them  both 
go,  even  if  I  had  to  lash  them  to  do  it — which 
I  wouldn’t,  for  they’d  be  as  brave  as  their 
father  and  his  brothers.  I  know  they  would ! 
If  they  weren’t  I’d  never  own  them!  But — 
but,  you  see  it  does  not  make  one  very  cor¬ 
dial  in  one’s  feelings  for  the  Yankees.” 

“Bid  you  ever  think  that  we  had  feelings 
like  that,  too  ?  ’  ’  inquired  Taylor,  stopping  be¬ 
cause  he  was  touched  by  the  manifest  ear¬ 
nestness  of  the  girl. 

‘  ‘  I  don ’t  know  that  I  ever  did.  ’  ’ 

“Well,  do  it  now.  Let  me  tell  you  that  I 
have  a  sister,  too.  I  don’t  suppose  she  knows 
to-day  whether  I’m  alive  or  not.  My  mother 
hasn’t  had  a  word  about  her  boy  for  a  good 
many  weeks.  She  knows  I  was  taken  pris¬ 
oner,  and  so  many  of  our  boys  have  died  in 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 


247 


the  reb — in  yonr  prisons,  that  you  can  hardly 
expect  she  naturally  would  have  much  af¬ 
fection  to  waste  on  the  men  that  took  me. 
No,  I  tell  you  we’re  a  good  deal  more  alike 
than  we  think  sometimes.  Pm  willing  to 
give  you  credit  for  thinking  you’re  right, 
but  don ’t  you  think  we  ’re  entitled  in  all  fair¬ 
ness  to  a  bit  of  consideration,  too!” 

“Yes,  if  you’d  only  go  back  home  and  stay 
there  and  not  come  down  here  shooting,  steal¬ 
ing,  burning  our  houses,  and  all  the  rest.” 

“How  would  you  have  us  carry  on  the 
war!  Bring  our  knitting  work  and  sit  down 
on  your  lawns  and  talk  about  the  weather!” 

The  girl  laughed  for  the  first  time  since 
the  strange  interview  began.  “It’s  no  use  in 
trying  to  explain  to  you,”  she  said.  “You 
cannot  see.” 

“Not  as  you  see,”  replied  Taylor  lightly. 
“We  use  our  eyes  and  you  use  yours.  I’m 
willing  to  own  up  that  your  eyes  are  bright 
enough  and  are  better  than  mine — ” 

“That  will  do,  sir,”  laughed  the  girl  in¬ 
terrupting  him. 

“But  look  for  a  minute  through  my  eyes. 
Oh,  I  don’t  mean  you’re  to  look  into  them,” 


248  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Taylor  said,  banteringly.  4  4  But  what  do  you 
think  you  would  see  if  it  was  your  brother 
who  was  a  prisoner  and  he  had  escaped  and 
was  talking  to  my  sister  as  you  are  to  me?” 

4 4 If  she  was  any  good  she’d  say  as  much 
or  more  than  I  have.” 

44I  know  one  thing,”  said  Taylor,  soberly. 

4 4 What’s  that?” 

4 4 She  wouldn’t  call  him  a  4 beggar’  just  be¬ 
cause  he ’d  dragged  his  way  to  where  she  was. 
I’ve  a  notion,  too,  she’d  help  him.  If  you 
knew  my  sister  you’d  understand  what  I 
mean.” 

44I  haven’t  said  I  wouldn’t  help  you.  I 
hate  Yankees,  and  you’re  one  of  the  first  I 
ever  saw.  Here!  Here!”  she  added  in  a 
low,  tense  voice.  4  4  Go  into  Aunt  Katy’s 
cabin!  Go  right  in!” 

The  excitement  of  the  girl  caused  Taylor 
to  glance  quickly  in  the  direction  in  which  she 
was  looking.  On  the  borders  of  the  woods 
he  saw  eight  men.  They  were  just  emerg¬ 
ing  from  amongst  the  trees.  One  glance  was 
sufficient  to  convince  the  young  soldier  that 
the  men  were  the  bushwhackers  whom  he 
had  seen  the  preceding  night.  Whether  or 


A  WARM  DEFENDER 


249 


not  they  had  discovered  his  presence,  Tay¬ 
lor  did  not  know,  as  he  instantly  followed  the 
girl  when  she  led  the  way  into  Aunt  Katy’s 
cabin. 


CHAPTER  XX 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 

‘ 4  Aunt  Katy/’  exclaimed  the  girl  quickly, 
as  she  and  her  companion  entered  the  little 
house.  “ Hide  this  man!  Hon ’t  let  the  men 
get  him.  You  know  how  to  do  it,  for  I  know 
you  have  done  it  before.* ’ 

“Lor*,  Miss  Sallie — ”  began  the  colored 
woman. 

“  Don’t  stop!  Don’t  talk!  Hide  him! 
Be  quick!  The  men  will  be  here  before  you 
know  it!” 

The  negress,  in  what  seemed  to  Taylor  a 
most  deliberate  manner,  flung  open  the  door 
to  her  pantry  and  then  turning  to  her  vis¬ 
itors,  said,  “Go  in  yere!  I’ll  stan’  in  de  do’. 
Ef  dey  gets  pas’  me  dey’ll  sho’ly  have  ter 
move  de  mountains  fust  off.” 

As  Taylor  slipped  quickly  past  Aunt  Katy, 
he  laughed  despite  his  alarm  at  the  thought 
of  the  bushwhackers  moving  the  huge 
woman  from  her  position.  She  was  larger 

250 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 


251 


even  than  Aunt  Dinah.  Her  red  bandanna 
handkerchief  twisted  about  her  woolly  head 
gave  her  a  warlike  appearance,  which  her 
great  size  and  the  expression  of  determina¬ 
tion  on  her  face  made  still  more  pronounced. 
In  a  moment,  however,  the  door  was  closed 
upon  him  and  he  was  left  to  himself.  A 
small  window  in  the  outer  side  of  the  room 
was  open  and  he  could  see  what  was  going 
on  outside  the  hut  if  he  were  to  raise  him¬ 
self  to  the  level  of  the  rude  sash.  However, 
he  had  no  desire  at  the  time  to  expose  him¬ 
self  needlessly,  and  he  crouched  low  in  a  cor¬ 
ner  of  the  room.  He  was  able  to  hear  what 
was  being  said  in  the  other  room  of  the  cabin 
and  to  his  surprise  the  girl,  who  had  led  him 
into  the  place,  was  bidding  the  colored  woman 
defend  the  visitor  at  all  hazards. 

In  a  brief  time  the  sound  of  the  voices  of 
men  was  heard  at  the  door,  and  Taylor  was 
aware  that  the  band,  of  which  he  was  in  fear, 
had  come,  and  the  critical  moment  was  at 
hand. 

“Hi,  there,”  called  one  of  the  men  to  some 
one  outside  the  door  whom  Taylor  had  not 
seen.  “Got  any  Yanks  in  yo’  place!” 


252  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Ah  aint  done  seen  none,  suh,”  replied 
some  one  whom  Taylor  took  to  he  a  hoy. 

“We’ll  take  a  look  anyway.” 

“Das  all  right,  suli.  Ah  reck’n  All’ll  des 
keep  ’way.” 

“What’s  the  trouble?” 

“Dem  Yanks  has  horns,  suh,”  exclaimed 
the  boy  in  apparent  fear.  “Mas’  George 
’clar  ter  goodness  dey  all  has  horns  right 
on  dey  haids.  Dey  don’  cotch  dis  chile!” 

“Yon ’re  c’rect,  Sambo,”  laughed  the  man. 
“The  Yanks  has  hons’  and  a  red-hot  pitch 
fo’k  too.  They  all  like  nothin’  bettah  than 
to  take  little  nigger  boys  an’  broil  ’em  over 
the  fire.  They  turn  ’em  on  the’  fo’ks  like 
they  was  ’possums.  You  bettah  keep  ’way 
from  ’em,  Sambo.” 

“Ah  shore  will,  suli.” 

The  men  now  turned  to  the  door  of  the 
hut,  and  from  the  sounds  Taylor  concluded 
that  the  girl  was  still  standing  there. 

“Has  yo’-all  seen  any  stray  Yanks?”  de¬ 
manded  the  man. 

“What  kind  of  Yanks?”  responded  the 
girl. 

“Mos’ly  prisoners,  Mis’  Sallie,”  said  the 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 


253 


man,  who  apparently  recognized  the  girl  be¬ 
fore  him.  “We  all  have  a  ’spicion  that  the 
niggers  is  helpin’  some  o’  ’em  to  get  away. 
A  right  sma’t  number  has  been  breakin’ 
away  from  Camp  So’gliuin  lately.” 

“Do  you  think  we’re  likely  to  hide  any 
here  ?  ’  ’ 

“No,  no,  Mis’  Sallie,  we-uns  know  yo’  too 
well  fo’  that;  Cap ’in  George  is  too  big  a 
fighter  fo’  any  ’spicion  like  that.  But  we- 
all  didn’t  know  but  you  might  ’a’  seen  some 
skulkin’  Yanks  somewhere  ’bout  the  quar¬ 
ters.  They  mos’  gen’ly  makes  fo’  the 
quarters.” 

“Aunt  Katy,  have  you  seen  any  Yankee 
prisoners  1  ’  ’  demanded  the  girl  as  she  turned 
to  the  huge  negro  woman  in  the  room. 

4  4  Humph !  ’  ’  snorted  Aunty  Katy. 

The  girl  laughed  as  she  faced  the  man  and 
said,  “I’m  sorry,  hut  I  don’t  believe  you’ll 
find  any  escaping  Yankee  prisoners  here.  If 
I  do  find  any  what  shall  I  do  with  them  1  ’  ’ 

“Shet  ’em  up  an’  send  word  ter  Cap ’in 
George  or  ter  me.” 

“I  don’t  know  you.  Where  can  I  find 
you!” 


254  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Yo’  might  sen’  word  ter  the  sto’  fo’ 
’Lonius  Shattuch.  We’ll  come  and  take  the 
Yanks  often  yo’  lian’s.  Bettah  look  out, 
Mis’  Sallie,  an’  see  that  th’  Yanks  don’  do 
yo’-all  no  harm  befo’  yo’  shet  ’em  up.” 

“I  can  take  care  of  myself,”  said  the  girl 
quietly. 

“We-uns  ’ll  trest  yo’  fo’  thet,  Mis’  Sallie. 
I  reck’n  we-all  had  bettah  take  er  look  ’bout 
th’  place  befo’  we  go.” 

“Why?  Do  you  really  think  any  of  the 
escaping  prisoners  are  here?” 

“We-all  tracked  some  in  this  yere  direc¬ 
tion,  Mis’  Sallie.” 

“Can  I  be  of  any  assistance  in  seacliing 
for  them?” 

“No,  no.  Bless  yer  kin’  heart,  Mis’  Sallie 
I  reck’n  yo’ve  got  troubles  enough  of  yer 
own  without  addin’  ter  ’em.” 

The  conversation  ended  abruptly  and  for 
a  time  silence  followed.  Taylor  in  his  hid¬ 
ing  place  tried  to  hear  what  was  being  said 
in  the  main  room,  but  Aunt  Katy  and  the 
girl  were  talking  in  such  low  tones  that  not 
a  word  was  audible  to  him.  He  crept  to  the 
window  and  peering  out  was  able  to  to  see  the 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 


255 


men.  They  had  scattered  about  the  planta¬ 
tion  and  were  manifestly  making  a  thorough 
search  of  the  place. 

To  Taylor  they  appeared  to  be  a  band 
with  which  he  had  no  desire  for  further  ac¬ 
quaintance.  Every  man  had  a  gun  in  his 
hands  and  it  was  plain  that  the  negroes  were 
all  in  great  fear  of  their  visitors  —  a  feeling 
which  Taylor  fully  comprehended. 

Suddenly  the  girl  who  had  conducted  him 
to  his  place  of  refuge  appeared  walking 
directly  toward  the  men.  For  an  instant 
Taylor’s  alarm  returned  in  full  force.  Was 
she  about  to  betray  him!  Had  her  loyalty 
triumphed  over  the  momentary  sympathy 
she  had  expressed  for  him!  Anxiously  he 
watched  her  as  she  stopped  a  moment  to 
speak  to  one  of  the  men  and  then  passed  on 
toward  the  mansion  and  soon  disappeared 
from  his  sight. 

An  hour  or  more  the  men  delayed  about 
the  plantation  before  they  started  together 
for  the  woods  where  they  had  first  appeared. 

Eelieved  by  their  departure,  Taylor  waited 
for  the  negro  woman  to  open  the  door  and 
bid  him  come  forth  from  the  pantry.  At 


256  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


last  when  his  patience  was  nearly  exhausted 
he  opened  the  door  and  stepped  into  the 
room  where  the  woman  was  preparing  some 
hoecakes  in  the  fireplace. 

“It's  safe  to  come  out  now,  isn’t  it?”  sug¬ 
gested  the  young  soldier. 

4 4  Ah  reck  ’n  hit  is,  ’  ’  said  Aunt  Katy  coldly. 
“Who  is  yer?” 

“I’m  a  prisoner  escaping  from  the  rebel 
camp.” 

“Is  yer  a  Yank?”  demanded  the  huge 
colored  woman,  stopping  in  her  occupation 
and  staring  almost  incredulously  at  her  vis¬ 
itor. 

4  4 1  am.  What  did  you  think  ?  ’  ’ 

“Wliaffur  Mis’  Sallie  done  hide  yer  yere 
fo’f” 

“I  don’t  myself  understand.” 

4 4 Mis’  Sallie  done  hate  de  Yankees  wussen 
de  pizin.  ’  ’ 

“I  know  she  does.  Who  is  she?” 

4 4 Mis’  Sallie — das  who  she  is.  Ah  reck’n 
everybody  know  dat.” 

4 4 Miss  Sallie  who?” 

4 4 She’s  ole  Mas’  Henry’s  youngest  gal. 
Mas’  Henry  he  done  get  shot  in  de  wa’. 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 


257 


Eber  since  Mas’  Henry  he  done  get  shot  ole 
Mis’  an’  Miss  Clara  an’  Miss  Ma’g’ret  an’ 
Miss  Sallie  dey  mos’  crazy.  Mis’  Clara  an’ 
Miss  Ma’g’ret  dey  bof  gone  to  the  hospitals 
fo’  to  nurse  de  po’  sick  sojers.  Miss  Sallie 
she  des  stay  to  home  ter  he’p  her  ma; 
but,  honey,  she  suhtainly  does  hate  de  Yanks. 
Mas’  George  he  gone  to  de  wa’  too  an’  dey 
ain’  anybody  lef’  into  de  place  but  jes’  old 
Mis’  an’  Mis’  Sallie,  ’ceptin’  when  Mas’ 
George  come  home.” 

“When  does  he  come?  Is  he  here  now?” 

“Dey  des  ain’  no  tellin  w’en  dat  man 
come.  Tears  lak  he  come  des  when  dey 
is  leastes’  ’splectin’  on  ’im.” 

“Is  he  here  now?”  again  Taylor  inquired. 

“Lan’,  honey,  Mas’  George  may  be  yere 
an’  den  he  moughn’t.  Dey  is’n  enny  way 
fo’  to  fin’  dat  out,  ’ceptin’  when  he  come.” 

“What  was  Miss  Sallie  doing  here  in  your 
house  just  before  I  came?” 

“Howcome  she  come  Ah  dunno.  She  des 
come,  da’s  all.”  Aunt  Katy  glanced  shrewdly 
at  Taylor  as  she  spoke. 

Suspecting  there  was  more  than  at  first  ap¬ 
peared  in  her  expression  the  young  soldier 


258  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


suggested,  “Perhaps  she  suspected  you,  Aunt 
Katy. ’  ’ 

“Ah  reck’n  she  do.” 

“You  help  the  Yankees,  do  you,  Aunt 
Katy  ! ’  ’ 

“Ah  shore  does.” 

“And  that’s  why  you  do  for  me!” 

“Yaas  suli.  Mis’  Sallie  she  hates  de 
Yankees.  Ah  reck’n  she  ’specs  Ah  ain’ 
doin’  ’em  enny  ha’m.  Leas ’wise  she  done 
come  down  yere  fo’  to  fin’  out  ’bout  ’em.” 

‘  ‘  Aunt  Katy,  have  you  helped  any  lately — 
within  a  day  or  two!” 

‘  ‘  Whaffur  yo  ’  ax  me  dat !  ’  ’ 

“Did  you  have  a  young  fellow  here — not 
as  tall  as  I  am!  He  had  light  hair  and  blue 
eyes — ” 

“Did  he  hab  de  woe-begondest  face,  mos’  ’s 
begonedest  as  you  hab!” 

“Very  likely.  When  was  he  here !  When 
did  he  go  !  ” 

“Wha’  mought  be  his  name!” 

“Erwin — Erwin  Smith.” 

“Ah  don’  des  rec’lec’  ’bout  de  name.  Dey 
was  a  young  man  here  day  befo’  las’.  Was 
he  somebody  what  yo’-all  wan’  to  fin’!” 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 


259 


“Yes,  yes.  Did  lie  leave  any  message! 
Any  word  for  me!  I  understand  some  of 
the  colored  people  have  a  regular  line  over 
which  they  send  all  of  us  who  are  fortunate 
enough  to  get  away.  Is  that  so!” 

“Yo’-all  mus’n  axen  me.  Ah  knows  yo’  is 
a  Yankee.” 

‘ 4  How  do  you  know !  ’  ’ 

“By  de  soun’  ob  de  words,”  chuckled  the 
huge  negro  woman.  “Bettah  take  dis  yere 
hoecake  an’  see  wha’  yo’  can  do  wif  hit.” 

The  woman’s  task  before  the  fire  was  now 
completed  and  when  she  handed  the  cake  to 
the  young  prisoner,  Taylor  was  positive  that 
never  before  had  food  tasted  so  good.  His 
cook  watched  him  with  evident  satisfaction, 
her  countenance  beaming  with  sympathy  and 
interest. 

“Yo’  sholy  is  pow’ful  hongry,”  she  said 
at  last;  “des  de  same  lak  ’em  all.  De  hoe- 
cake  don’  las'  long  when  de  Yankees  is 
come.” 

‘  ‘  I  don ’t  wonder,  Aunt  Ivaty.  It ’s  the  best 
I  ever  ate.” 

“G’long  wit  yo’,  chile!” 

“It  surely  is  the  best.  Some  day  when 


260  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  negroes  are  all  free  and  you  come  north, 
I’ll  send  for  you,  Aunt  Katy,  and  have  you 
come  to  our  house.  If  I  ever  get  home,  I’ll 
send  for  you  the  very  first  thing.” 

“An  me  leab  Miss  Sallie,  and  old  Mis’  an’ 
Mas’  George?” 

“Why,  yes,  of  course.” 

“Ah  reck’n  yo’-all  don’  know  some  tings.” 
The  eyes  of  the  black  woman  almost  flashed 
as  she  glanced  at  her  visitor. 

“Don’t  you  want  to  be  free?” 

“Ah  don’  leab  Mis’  Sallie.” 

“Why  do  you  help  the  Yankees  then?” 

“Chile,  yo’  mus’  be  pow’ful  tired.  Don’ 
yo’-all  wan’  ter  go  ter  sleep?” 

“I  feel  as  if  I  could  sleep  two  days.” 

The  black  woman  laughed  and  started 
toward  the  back  door.  In  a  moment  she  re¬ 
turned  with  a  small  ladder,  which  she  placed 
against  a  beam  in  the  ceiling.  “Dey  is  er 
doah  ’treckly  t’  yo’  right  han’.  Des  open  de 
do’  an’  elim’  in,  an’  don’  fo’get  t’  close  de 
do’  when  yo’  is  inside.  Dey’s  er  bed  dere 
an’  yo’-all  c’n  sleep  till  ‘Gabrel  blow  de 
trumpet  in  de  mawnin’,’  if  yo’  desiahs.” 

Aware  of  the  purpose  of  the  woman,  Tay- 


A  PIECE  OF  PAPER 


261 


lor  speedily  made  his  way  into  the  small 
loft  of  the  cabin,  carefully  closed  the  door 
behind  him  and  then  turned  to  a  bed  on  the 
floor. 

The  room  was  not  dark,  because  light  came 
in  through  the  chinks  of  the  logs  and  a  small 
open  window  at  one  end  of  the  loft  admitted 
light  and  air  alike. 

Thoroughly  wearied,  Taylor  prepared  to 
throw  himself  on  the  bed.  As  he  drew  near 
he  saw  on  the  floor  a  small  folded  piece  of 
paper.  Without  expecting  to  find  it  anything 
of  importance,  he  picked  it  up  and  held  it  in 
the  light. 

To  his  amazement  he  saw  his  own  name 
on  the  outside  of  the  paper.  Before  he 
could  open  the  startling  missive,  he  was 
aroused  by  a  call  from  the  room  below. 
Hastily  thrusting  the  paper  into  his  pocket 
he  turned  at  once  to  the  door  in  the  floor. 


CHAPTEE  XXI 


IN  THE  MANSION 

It  was  the  voice  of  the  young  girl — Miss 
Sallie — which  Taylor  heard  in  the  room  be¬ 
low.  Startled  by  her  unexpected  return, 
Taylor  listened  a  moment  and  then  heard 
Aunt  Katy  summoning  him. 

Hastily  raising  the  trapdoor,  the  young 
soldier  peered  down  at  the  black  woman  and 
her  companion.  The  girl  laughed  as  she 
saw  the  face  of  the  young  Yankee  and  she 
called  sharply,  “Come  down  here,  sir,  I  want 
to  speak  to  you.” 

Puzzled  by  the  strange  summons,  Taylor 
nevertheless  speedily  swung  himself  through 
the  opening  and  dropped  to  the  floor. 

“Did  you  want  to  see  met”  he  inquired, 
as  he  turned  to  the  girl. 

“I  did.” 

“Well,  here  I  am.”  He  spoke  simply  and 
as  he  gazed  at  his  torn  clothing  and  the  rem- 

262 


IN  THE  MANSION 


263 


nants  of  what  once  were  shoes,  he  added, 
“Pm  afraid  the  sight  isn’t  one  to  interest 
you  very  much.  What  can  I  do  for  you?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Why  then  do  you  want  to  see  me?” 

“Because  I  can  do  something  for  you.” 

“You  are  very  kind  —  to  beggars.” 

“That  is  very  unkind  of  you.  You  know 
very  well  what  I  meant  when  I  used  that 
word.” 

“I  beg  your  pardon.” 

“It’s  granted.  I’ve  been  thinking  of  what 
you  told  me  about  your  mother  and  your 
sister.  I  think  I  understand  how  they  feel 
and  I’m  going  to  do  for  you  what  I  would 
want  them  to  do  for  my  brother  if  he  was  a 
prisoner  up  north.  Thank  goodness,  he  will 
never  be  though!  No  Yankee  can  ever  make 
a  prisoner  of  my  brother  George.” 

“For  your  sake  as  well  as  for  his  own,  I  am 
sure  I  hope  they  never  will,”  said  Taylor 
quietly. 

“That  settles  it!  There  may  be  occasion¬ 
ally  a  good  man  even  among  the  Yankees. 
Perhaps  you  are  the  one — at  least  you  are 
the  only  one  I  have  ever  seen.  If  they  would 


264  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


only  go  back  where  they  belong  and  not 
come  down  here  doing  all  they  are  doing !” 
The  girl’s  dark  eyes  flashed,  but  the  smile 
on  her  face  belied  the  fierce  tone  she  used. 

“I  told  yon  why  we  were  here  and  how 
glad  we  would  all  be  to  start  for  home  to¬ 
morrow.” 

“ I  told  you  I  was  going  to  help  you,  and 
I  am  on  one  condition.” 

“What  is  that?” 

‘ 4  That  if  I  help  you  to  leave,  you  will  never 
come  back.” 

“What  do  you  mean?  That  I  am  to  leave 
the  army?” 

“Yes.” 

‘  ‘  I  can ’t  do  that.  ’  ’ 

“Yes,  you  can  do  it,  too!” 

“Do  you  want  me  to  desert?” 

“I  don’t  care  what  you  call  it  or  what  you 
do  if  you  only  do  what  I  tell  you.  I  don’t 
ever  want  to  see  or  hear  of  you  again.  ’  ’ 

“Thank  you,”  said  Taylor  mockingly, 
bowing  low  as  he  spoke. 

“Oh,  you  know  what  I  mean.  I  hate  the 
Yankees !” 


“So  I  have  heard  you  say.” 


IN  THE  MANSION 


265 


“And  you  won’t  promise  me!” 

“No.” 

“Then  I  don’t  believe  you  want  to  get 
away  very  badly.” 

“Don’t  I  look  the  part?”  inquired  Taylor, 
once  more  glancing  at  his  tattered  clothing 
as  he  spoke. 

“You  Yankees  are  the  vainest  creatures,” 
laughed  the  girl. 

“Yes,  if  you  mean  we  are  proud.  We’re 
too  proud  to  forget  a  promise.” 

“What  do  you  mean  by  that?” 

“If  we  enlist  and  promise  to  serve  our 
country  we  don’t  go  back  on  that  promise 
and  we  don’t  try  to  get  any  other  one  to  do 
it  either.” 

“What  do  you  mean?”  demanded  the  girl 
angrily. 

“Just  what  I  say.  What  would  you  think 
of  my  sister  or  mother  if  either  of  them 
promised  your  brother  he  would  be  helped 
if  he  would  agree  to  desert?” 

“He  couldn’t  do  it!  You  don’t  know 
him.” 

“And  yet  you  want  me  to  do  that  very 
thing  and  you  promised  to  help  me  if  I  would 


266  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


do  what  yon  would  despise  your  own  brother 
for  doing/  ’ 

“I  hadn’t  thought  of  it  in  that  way.  For¬ 
give  me!”  The  expression  of  Miss  Sallie’s 
face  softened  even  as  she  said,  “You  know 
I  hate  the  Yankees.” 

“Are  you  afraid  I’ll  not  understand 
that?”  asked  Taylor  quizzically. 

‘  ‘  But  I  do !  I  wish  every  one  of  them  was 
where  he  deserved  to  be.” 

“So  do  I,”  Taylor  said  so  fervently  and 
seriously  that  the  girl  laughed  as  she  looked 
at  him. 

“I’m  going  to  help  you.” 

“Good!  I  am  grateful.” 

“I’m  going  to  help  you  because  I  hate  the 
Yankees.” 

“I  hope  the  feeling  will  increase.” 

“You  are  to  come  with  me.” 

“Where?” 

“To  the  house.” 

“Did  you  ever  hear  of  the  spider  who  in¬ 
vited  the  fly  to  visit  her?” 

“You  may  do  as  you  please,  sir!”  retorted 
Miss  Sallie  sharply,  turning  away  as  if  she 
were  about  to  depart. 


IN  THE  MANSION 


267 


“Don’t  think  I’m  ungrateful,”  said  Taylor 
quickly,  “but — ” 

“You’re  afraid.” 

“Naturally.” 

“What  are  you  afraid  of?” 

“Why  even  an  invitation  to  visit  the  home 
of  Captain  George  Hitt  by  his  sister  isn’t  to 
be  taken  seriously  by  a  Yankee  prisoner 
when  he’s  dressed  as  I  am.” 

“You’re  too  proud.” 

“No.  I’m  afraid.” 

6  1  There,  I  knew  it.  ’  ’ 

“Yes,  I’m  afraid  Captain  Hitt  would  give 
me  a  welcome  that  I  should  remember  a  long 
time.  ’  ’ 

“He  isn’t  at  home.” 

“Think  of  the  trouble  you  would  have  if  I 
should  be  found.  ’  ’ 

“I’m  not  afraid.  I ’m  not  going  to  give  you 
a  guest  room.  I’m  going  to  put  you  in  the 
attic.” 

“A  ragbag  is  where  I  belong  just  now.” 

“That’s  true.  You  think  too  much  of 
your  clothes.  I  thought  that  would  be  a  good 
place  for  you  to  hide  in  for  a  day  or  two. 
No  one  would  ever  think  of  looking  into  our 


268  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


attic  for  a  Yankee  prisoner/ ’  The  girl 
laughed  as  she  spoke  and  even  Taylor  smiled 
at  the  suggestion.  “You  will  be  fed  and 
cared  for  and  I  think  I  can  find  some  gar¬ 
ments  the  scarecrows  have  discarded  that 
will  be  an  improvement  over  that  suit  of 
yours.” 

“Suppose  I  am  seen  going  into  the  house 
with  you?” 

“You  won’t  be.  The  men  that  came  here 
this  morning  are  gone.  Aunt  Katy  will 
bring  you  to  the  house,  won’t  you,  Aunt 
Katy?” 

“Ah  sholy  will,  Mis’  Sallie,”  said  the  negro 
woman.  It  was  plain  that  she  was  puzzled 
by  what  she  was  hearing,  but  of  her  loyalty 
to  her  young  mistress  there  was  no  question. 

“Why  do  you  think  I’ll  be  safer  at  the 
house  than  here?”  asked  Taylor  of  Miss 
Sallie.  “I’m  afraid — ” 

“There  it  is  again!”  laughed  Miss  Sallie. 
“Are  you  always  afraid?” 

“I’m  afraid  of  trouble  for  you.” 

“You  needn’t  have  any  fear  for  me.  I 
can  take  care  of  myself,  thank  you!”  re- 


IN  THE  MANSION 


269 


torted  the  girl.  “I  may  be  foolish,  but  I’m 
no  coward.” 

“I’ll  do  what  you  say,”  said  Taylor 
quietly. 

“Even  a  Yankee  has  a  grain  of  sense — 
sometimes,”  said  Miss  Sallie  lightly.  “Lis¬ 
ten  then  and  I’ll  tell  you  what  you  are  to  do. 
In  a  few  minutes — directly  after  I  go  back 
to  the  house — you  are  to  come  to  the  side 
door.  Aunt  Katy  will  come  with  you. 
Eeally,  I’m  afraid  it  is  not  safe  for  you  here 
any  longer.  And  Aunt  Katy  must  not  harbor 
any  more  Yankee  prisoners.  She’s  sus¬ 
pected  of  doing  it  now.  I  don’t  care  much 
what  she  does  in  that  line  as  far  as  I  am 
concerned.  I  hate  the  Yankees  and  every 
one  that  Aunt  Katy  or  any  one  else  can  get 
out  of  the  country — why,  it’s  ‘a  good  rid¬ 
dance  to  bad  rubbish’ — that’s  the  way  I  feel. 
I’m  going  now,”  the  girl  added  abruptly  as 
she  at  once  departed  from  the  cabin. 

The  huge  negro  woman  looked  keenly  at 
the  departing  girl  and  then  turned  and 
glanced  at  Taylor.  She  made  a  sharp  sound 
through  her  teeth — “K-l-u-ch” — but  said 


270  FOR  TIIE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


no  more  until  her  young  mistress  had  en¬ 
tered  the  big  house. 

“Now,  chile,’ 9  said  Aunt  Katy,  “take  de 
cheer  an’  carry  hit  in  yo’  han’s.  We-uns 
mus’  do  wha’  Mis’  Sallie  done  tole  us.” 

Perceiving  the  meaning  of  her  suggestion 
that  some  apparent  purpose  in  the  visit  must 
be  shown,  Taylor  took  the  rush  chair  in  his 
hands  and  at  once  followed  Aunt  Katy  as  she 
led  the  way  to  the  mansion.  No  one  was  seen 
on  their  way  and  when  they  arrived  at  the 
entrance  which  Miss  Sallie  had  indicated, 
they  were  met  by  the  girl  herself. 

Apparently  without  fear  she  at  once  dis¬ 
missed  the  negro  woman  and  bidding  her 
“guest”  follow  her  she  turned  to  the  large 
hall  in  the  center  of  the  house.  Up  the 
broad  stairway  she  quietly  conducted  Tay¬ 
lor  until  they  came  to  the  attic. 

The  young  soldier  was  excited  but  quiet. 
In  spite  of  the  strangeness  of  his  experience, 
he  was  aware  how  large  the  house  was,  how 
spacious  its  rooms  and  how  wide  the  stair¬ 
ways.  Manifestly  it  had  been  built  for  com¬ 
fort.  For  a  moment  Taylor  was  aware  as 
he  never  had  been  before  of  what  the  loss  of 


Up  the  broad  stairway  she  quietly  conducted  Taylor. 

Page  270. 


IN  THE  MANSION 


271 


the  home  life,  the  life  on  the  great  plantation, 
must  be  to  its  owners.  He  had  more  sympa¬ 
thy  for  the  people  against  whom  he  had 
been  waging  war  than  ever  before.  Perhaps 
he  understood  more  clearly,  for  understand¬ 
ing,  on  either  side  in  a  quarrel,  of  the  atti¬ 
tude  and  feelings  of  the  other  party  is  a  sure 
path  to  less  intense  bitterness  and  more  gen¬ 
erous  sympathies. 

“Nobody  comes  here  now,”  said  the  girl 
when  at  last  she  and  her  companion  arrived 
at  the  attic.  “You’ll  be  safe  here  for  a  time. 
Don’t  try  to  get  out  and  don’t  leave  till  I 
give  you  the  word.  I  feel  almost  as  if  I  were 
a  traitor,  but  what  you  said  about  your 
mother  and  sister  helping  my  brother  made 
me  do  it.  Besides,  I  hate  Yankees,”  she 
added  irrelevantly.  “I  think  you’ll  find 
everything  you  need  in  there.” 

Without  waiting  for  a  reply,  Miss  Sallie 
hastily  closed  the  door  as  soon  as  Taylor  en¬ 
tered  the  room,  and  at  once  departed. 

The  novel  experience  was  so  strange  that 
for  a  moment  the  young  soldier  stared 
blankly  about  him.  In  one  corner  of  the  attic 
was  an  old-fashioned  bedstead  on  which  the 


272  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


bed  looked  most  inviting.  Several  pails  of 
water  were  there  too  and  on  a  small  table 
was  food — fried  chicken  and  other  viands 
that  were  tempting.  On  the  back  of  a  chair 
fresh  clothing,  including  a  partly  worn  suit, 
were  displayed.  On  the  coat  a  piece  of  paper 
was  pinned  which  Taylor  took  and  read  the 
words  written  on  it — “Food,  clothing,  water 
and  a  bed — what  more  can  be  done  for  6  thine 
enemy’?  Perhaps  I  might  heap  coals  of 
fire  on  his  head  but  I’m  afraid  they  would  be 
so  hot  they  would  burn  his  very  soul.  I  hate 
Yankees.” 

Taylor  smiled  as  he  read  the  note,  his 
heart  warming  within  him  as  he  realized 
what  all  this  had  cost  the  high-spirited  girl 
who  had  befriended  him.  He  was  no  longer 
afraid.  The  one  who  had  done  so  much 
would  not  now  betray  him. 

Suddenly  realizing  that  he  had  not  fas¬ 
tened  the  attic  door,  he  at  once  advanced  and 
turned  the  button.  A  bath,  clean  clothing 
and  food  followed  in  order.  The  sight  of  the 
inviting  bed  was  appealing  now  and  in  a 
brief  time  the  young  soldier  was  soundly 
sleeping. 


IN  THE  MANSION 


273 


It  was  noon  of  the  following  day  when 
Taylor  awoke,  although  he  had  no  means  of 
knowing  or  reckoning  the  passing  of  the 
hours.  When  his  eyes  were  open  at  first  he 
was  unable  to  recall  his  surroundings.  In 
a  moment,  however,  he  understood,  and  the 
first  thought  in  his  mind  as  he  arose  from  the 
bed  and  dressed,  was  of  the  strange  piece  of 
paper  he  had  found  in  the  loft  of  Aunt 
Katy’s  cabin.  In  the  excitement  of  going 
to  the  big  house  he  had  forgotten  the  dis¬ 
covery  of  his  own  name  on  the  folded  slip. 
Hastily  he  searched  the  pockets  of  his  cast¬ 
off  clothing.  He  found  the  paper,  but  be¬ 
fore  he  could  read  it  he  turned  to  the  door 
on  which  some  one  was  rapping. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT 

Cautiously  opening  the  door,  Taylor  be¬ 
held  before  him  the  girl  who  had  already 
befriended  him  in  so  many  ways.  Without 
speaking  she  indicated  her  desire  for  silence. 
Handing  him  the  food  she  had  brought,  she 
remained  outside  the  door  and  watched  the 
young  prisoner  as  he  quickly  received  what 
she  had  brought  and  placed  on  a  chair  in  the 
room. 

Turning  again  to  his  visitor,  Taylor  in¬ 
quired  in  a  whisper,  “What  time  is  it?” 

“Noon.”  She  laughed  lightly  as  an 
expression  of  incredulity  crept  over  Tay¬ 
lor’s  face.  “I  have  been  here  twice  before 
this  morning,”  she  added.  “As  I  could  not 
get  any  response  to  my  knocking  I  didn’t 
know  but  you  had  gone.” 

“I  wish  I  had,”  said  Taylor  fervently. 
“Is  there  anything  new?” 

“Nothing  except  that  my  brother  and  a 

274 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT  275 


friend  are  coming  to-day.  I  have  heard  too 
that  the  men  found  a  Yankee  yesterday  in 
the  woods  and  took  him  away.” 

“When  is  your  brother  coming!”  inquired 
Taylor.  He  had  no  question  in  his  mind 
concerning  the  man  who  had  been  taken. 
Uncle  Sam  was  again  in  the  hands  of  his 
enemies. 

“I  don’t  know.  He  sent  word  that  he 
would  be  at  home  to-day.  That  is  all  I 
know.” 

“I  ought  to  leave  before  he  comes.” 

Miss  Sallie  did  not  reply  and  it  was  plain 
to  the  young  soldier  that  she  agreed  with 
him  in  his  suggestion. 

“You  have  been  good  to  me.  I  want  to 
thank  you  for  all  you  have  done,”  Taylor 
said  in  a  low  voice. 

“Don’t  thank  me;  thank  your  mother  and 
sister;  they  are  the  ones  who  really  did  it. 
As  for  me,  I  hate  all  the  Yankees.” 

“Every  one!”  asked  Taylor  quizzically. 

“Yes,  every  one,”  replied  the  girl  sharply, 
although  the  expression  of  her  face  in  part 
belied  her  words  as  she  looked  at  the  young 
soldier.  “Really,”  she  added,  “I  don’t 


276  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


know  that  I  should  have  recognized  you  in 
your  new  clothes  and  having  a  clean  face. 
What  are  you  going  to  do  V  ’ 

“ Leave  as  soon  as  I  can.” 

“Perhaps  you  would  do  better  to  wait  till 
night.” 

‘  ‘  And  let  your  brother  find  me  here  ?  ’ ’ 

“I  don’t  believe  he’ll  find  you,  that  is,  if 
you  keep  quiet.  ’  ’ 

“It  is  almost  too  great  a  risk  to  run.  Tell 
me,”  Taylor  added  quickly,  “what  road  to 
take  and  where  to  go.” 

“That  I  cannot  do.  I  have  done  my  part, 
and  a  good  deal  more  than  I  ought  to  have 
done,  in  hiding  you  as  I  have.  I  don ’t  know 
what  George  would  say  if  he  should  find  out. 
Think  of  it  —  Sallie  Hitt  keeping  a  detested 
Yankee!  It’s  too  improbable  for  any  one  to 
believe.  If  it  wasn’t  for  your  mother  and 
sister  you  never  would  be  here.  I  hate  the 
Yankees.” 

“I’ll  tell  them  how  good  you  were  to  them 
if  I  am  ever  so  fortunate  as  to  see  them 
again.  ’  ’ 

“If  you  wait  till  night  I’ll  see  that  the 
door  on  the  side  piazza  is  left  unlocked.  Go 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT  277 


down  the  same  stairs  up  which  yon  came, 
and  if  you  are  careful,  perhaps  no  one  will 
overhear  you.  I  must  go  now.” 

“Will  you  shake  hands  with  a  Yankee  I” 
asked  Taylor,  as  he  extended  his  hand  as  he 
spoke. 

“No,  sir!”  replied  the  girl,  drawing  back 
with  flashing  eyes.  “I  told  you  I  hate  the 
Yankees.” 

“That’s  all  right,”  laughed  Taylor;  “I 
don’t  blame  you.  When  you  first  saw  me 
I  wouldn’t  have  shaken  hands  with  myself.” 

“You  are  just  the  same  now — inside.” 

“What?  And  after  you  have  fed  me  as 
you  have?” 

“Yes,  sir.  You  are  trying  to  drive  us  out 
of  our  homes.” 

“Do  you  mean  me?”  said  Taylor,  so 
solemnly  that  a  smile  appeared  on  the  girl’s 
face.  “Why,  I’m  doing  my  best  to  get 
away.  ’  ’ 

“But  you  wouldn’t  promise  not  to  come 
back.  ’  ’ 

“How  could  I  make  any  such  promise? 
Besides  I  shall  want  to  come  back  because 
you — ” 


278  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Taylor  stopped  abruptly  as  the  sound  of 
swiftly  approaching  horses  was  heard  near 
the  house.  The  look  of  alarm  which  Miss 
Sallie  gave  him  was  almost  lost  upon  Taylor 
as  he  darted  to  the  window  in  the  attic  and 
looked  down  upon  the  ground.  Two  young 
officers,  each  wearing  the  Confederate  uni¬ 
form,  were  riding  rapidly  up  the  long  lane 
that  led  from  the  road  to  the  house.  Dis¬ 
mounting  lightly  as  they  stopped  in  front  of 
the  piazza,  one  of  them  called  sharply, 
1  1  Eben,  you  black  rascal,  come  here  and  hold 
our  horses.’ ’ 

“Yaas,  Mas’  Gorge,”  exclaimed  a  colored 
boy,  as  he  came  running  in  response  to  the 
call. 

Miss  Sallie ’s  brother  had  returned  then, 
Taylor  thought,  and  with  him  was  a  friend. 
Perhaps  they  did  not  intend  to  remain  long. 
The  call  to  Eben  to  hold  the  horses  indi¬ 
cated  that  the  young  officers  might  soon  de¬ 
part.  The  suggestion  was  helpful  and  the 
young  prisoner  turned  quickly  to  the  door 
of  his  room. 

This  he  found  had  been  closed.  Opening 
it  cautiously,  he  discovered,  as  he  had  ex- 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT 


279 


pected,  that  the  girl  had  gone.  Cautiously 
closing  the  door  once  more,  Taylor  turned 
the  button  and  then  stepped  carefully  back 
to  the  window. 

The  horses  were  still  where  they  had  been 
left  and  the  negro  boy  was  holding  both  bri¬ 
dles.  From  within  the  house  the  sounds  of 
laughter  and  of  eager  voices  in  conversation 
were  heard.  There  was  no  question  now  in 
Taylor’s  mind  that  it  was  Miss  Sallie’s 
brother  George  who  had  come.  The  young 
soldier  smiled  as  he  thought  of  the  anxiety 
of  the  girl.  Certainly  she  had  been  kind  to 
him  and  her  kindness  never  would  be  for¬ 
gotten,  he  assured  himself.  If  he  only  knew 
just  what  the  plans  of  the  young  officer  were. 
How  surprised  he  would  be  if  he  should 
discover  a  Yankee  from  Camp  Sorghum 
hiding  in  his  house.  Again  Taylor  thought 
of  the  plight  of  the  girl  in  such  an  event. 
He  must  leave  the  place  as  soon  as  such  an 
attempt  would  be  reasonably  safe.  His 
own  case  was  bad  and  that  of  the  girl  who 
had  befriended  him  was  even  worse.  He 
must  act  soon,  he  decided,  because  of  both. 

Seating  himself  near  the  window  from 


280  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


which  he  could  see  all  that  occurred  in  the 
yard  below,  he  ate  the  food  which  had  been 
brought  him.  This  he  thought  was  the  part 
of  wisdom,  for  where  his  next  meal  was  to  be 
obtained  was  most  uncertain. 

When  Taylor  had  eaten  the  food,  he 
stepped  to  the  door  and  opening  it  a  few 
inches  listened  intently.  The  sound  of  the 
voices  in  the  house  had  now  ceased,  although 
he  could  hear  some  negro  woman  singing  in 
the  hall  below  him. 

When  he  closed  the  door  and  returned  to 
the  window  he  saw  the  colored  boy  leading 
one  of  the  horses  toward  the  barn,  the  other 
having  been  tied  to  the  post  near  which  the 
young  officers  had  alighted.  Plainly  then, 
Taylor  concluded,  one  of  the  young  men  was 
intending  to  remain  for  a  while  and  the 
other  might  depart  at  any  time.  Looking 
out  toward  the  barn,  he  discovered  Miss 
Sallie  and  a  young  man  walking  side  by 
side.  The  air  was  chilly  and  the  young 
officer  stopped  and  was  adjusting  a  wrap 
about  the  girl’s  shoulders. 

Where  was  her  brother?  The  question 
suddenly  presented  itself  to  Taylor.  In- 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT 


281 


stantly  returning  to  the  door  of  the  attic,  he 
again  opened  it  cautiously  and  stepped  into 
the  hall.  Not  a  sound  in  the  house  was  he 
able  to  hear.  Stepping  softly  to  the  stair¬ 
way,  a  sudden  decision  having  been  made  by 
the  young  soldier,  he  began  to  descend.  He 
had  no  means  of  defending  himself  in  case 
he  was  attacked,  but  he  was  feeling  stronger 
now  after  his  long  sleep  and  the  food  which 
had  been  given  him. 

He  must  move  as  swiftly  as  possible  as  well 
as  silently,  he  thought.  There  had  been  no 
discovery  of  his  presence  when  he  gained 
the  hallway  on  the  second  floor.  The  doors 
into  the  rooms  here  were  open  and  all  must 
be  passed  before  he  could  gain  the  stairway 
at  the  further  end.  Trembling  in  his  excite¬ 
ment,  Taylor  passed  through  a  part  of  the 
distance  and  then  beheld  a  young  negro 
woman  in  the  further  room.  Her  back  was 
toward  him  and  he  quickened  his  pace,  step¬ 
ping  softly,  and  hoping  to  avoid  discovery. 

To  his  great  relief  he  passed  the  open 
door  without  being  seen  and  then  began  to 
descend  the  stairs.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
platform  half-way  down  he  again  stopped 


282  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


and  breathlessly  peered  all  about  him.  The 
entire  house  seemed  to  be  silent  save  for  the 
sounds  that  came  from  what  manifestly  must 
be  the  dining-room  and  kitchen,  he  concluded. 
The  door  into  the  former  was  open  and  to 
pass  it  without  being  seen  seemed  well-nigh 
impossible.  It  was  too  late  now  to  turn  back. 
His  sole  hope  rested  upon  gaining  the  side 
piazza. 

When  he  passed  the  open  doors  he  dis¬ 
covered  a  young  man  seated  before  a  desk 
in  the  room  at  his  left.  For  a  moment  it 
seemed  to  Taylor  almost  as  if  his  heart  had 
stopped  beating,  so  great  was  his  excitement. 
He  had  no  difficulty  even  in  his  first  hasty 
glimpse  in  concluding  that  it  was  “Mas’ 
George  ’  ’  who  was  there.  The  young  man  was 
writing  and  was  seated  in  such  a  manner, 
having  his  back  to  the  window,  that  if  he 
should  look  up  he  must  of  necessity  see  any 
one  passing  through  the  hall  before  him. 

The  heavy  rug  on  the  floor  of  the  hall 
deadened  the  sound  of  footfalls  and  Taylor 
instantly  decided  to  move  quickly  to  the  door. 
Success  now  depended  upon  escaping  the  at- 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT  283 


tention  of  the  young  man  who  was  writing 
at  the  desk. 

Dropping  his  head,  almost  as  if  he  were 
striving  to  push  his  obstacles  away,  the  young 
soldier  stepped  hastily  forward.  His  eyes 
were  turned  toward  the  man  in  the  room, 
who  apparently  was  engrossed  in  his  writing. 

1  ‘Not  quite  ready  yet,”  suddenly  said  the 
young  officer  without  looking  up. 

Taylor  did  not  reply  and  quickly  was  be¬ 
yond  sight  of  the  writer. 

“That  you,  Tom?”  called  the  voice  again. 
“Come  back  in  five  minutes  and  I’ll  have  it 
ready  for  you.” 

Naturally,  Taylor  did  not  reply,  but  was 
moving  swiftly  toward  the  door,  which  now 
was  only  a  few  feet  away.  He  heard  the 
young  officer  push  back  his  chair  and  was  con¬ 
fident  the  man  was  coming  into  the  hall  to 
discover  why  his  question  was  not  answered. 
There  was  a  door  in  the  hall  near  where  Tay¬ 
lor  was.  He  concluded  that  it  would  be  im¬ 
possible  for  him  to  escape  to  the  piazza 
without  being  seen ;  in  desperation  he  pulled 
the  knob  of  this  door.  It  readily  yielded  to 


284  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


his  frantic  efforts  and  instantly  lie  stepped 
inside.  He  did  not  even  attempt  to  close  tlie 
door  after  him,  so  great  was  his  haste.  He 
found  himself  in  a  small  coat  room  and  coats 
were  hanging  from  the  side  walls.  In  a 
moment  the  desperate  young  soldier  took  his 
stand  against  the  wall  and  drew  one  of  the 
coats  over  him.  Between  its  folds  he  could 
look  out,  and  as  he  himself  was  in  the  dark  he 
could  not  he  seen,  as  he  believed,  by  any  one 
in  the  hall. 

The  light  in  the  hallway,  however,  enabled 
him  to  see  what  was  going  on  there.  The 
young  officer  had  come  out  of  the  room  in 
which  he  had  been  writing  and  was  peering 
above  him. 

“ Eliza,  was  that  Tom  who  was  here?” 

“Ah.  didn’  see  ’im,  Mas’  George,”  replied 
a  negro  girl,  who  also  was  in  the  hall.  How 
he  had  escaped  her  notice,  Taylor  could  not 
understand.  He  was,  however,  too  excited 
as  he  watched  the  young  officer,  to  give  any 
thought  to  what  might  have  occurred.  The 
present  was  too  important  to  be  ignored. 

“Some  one  was  in  the  hall.  I  reckoned  it 
was  Tom.  If  he  comes,  tell  him  I  want  to 


INTERCEPTED  FLIGHT 


285 


see  him.  I  told  Eben  to  send  him  to  me 
right  away.  Eliza/  ’  the  young  officer  added, 
as  he  pointed  to  the  door  of  the  coat  room  in 
which  Taylor  was  concealed,  “what  does 
your  mistress  say  to  you  when  you  leave 
doors  open  like  that?” 

“  ’Pears  lak  dat  do’  wo’n’  stay  shet,  Mas’ 
George,  nohow.” 

“What’s  the  trouble  with  it?” 

“Ah  dunno.  Hit  des  wo’n’  stay  shet.” 

“Perhaps  the  catch  is  broken.  Run  along, 
Eliza,  and  tell  Tom  to  come  here  directly. 
I’ll  have  a  look  at  the  door  while  you  are 
gone.  Find  Tom  for  me  while  I’m  doing 
it.” 

“Ah  spec’s  Tom  is  outen  de  kitcli’n.  He’s 
mos’  gen’ly  is  dere  w’en  dey  is  enny  cookin’ 
bein’  done.” 

“Find  him  anyway,  and  be  quick,  too, 
Eliza.  I  have  an  important  errand  I  want 
him  to  do.” 

As  “Mas’  George”  started  toward  the  coat 
room  to  discover  what  was  wrong  with  the 
door,  Taylor  crouched  more  closely  behind 
the  coat  that  partly  concealed  him. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


A  BORROWED  HORSE 

Every  nerve  in  the  young  soldier’s  body 
was  tense,  as  he  watched  the  actions  of  the 
man  before  him.  Apparently  unsuspecting, 
the  young  officer  bent  over  the  knob  of  the 
door,  testing  it  several  times.  His  attempts 
to  discover  what  was  wrong  did  not  meet 
with  any  success.  The  knob  and  key  both 
turned  readily  in  his  hand. 

Stepping  inside  the  little  room,  “Mas’ 
George”  tried  the  knob  in  a  different  man¬ 
ner.  His  back  was  now  turned  toward  Tay¬ 
lor,  and  the  temptation  at  the  sight  presented 
was  too  great  for  the  desperate  young  soldier 
to  resist.  Reaching  forward  without  being 
discovered,  Taylor  suddenly  seized  the  officer 
by  his  shoulders  and  with  one  supreme  effort 
flung  him  back  into  the  coat  room. 

Before  the  man  could  recover  from  his 
surprise,  or  regain  an  upright  position,  Tay¬ 
lor  leaped  forward,  flung  the  door  back  into 

286 


A  BORROWED  HORSE 


287 


its  proper  place,  turned  the  key  in  the  lock, 
and  then  thrust  the  key  into  his  pocket.  He 
had  a  confused  vision  of  Eliza  standing  in 
the  hallway,  regarding  him  with  open  eyes, 
and  uplifted  hands.  Ignoring  the  startling 
effect  his  presence  had  produced,  Taylor 
darted  through  the  door  on  his  way  to  the 
side  piazza. 

The  prolonged  screech  of  terror  which  now 
came  from  the  startled  colored  girl  was  min¬ 
gled  with  the  muffled  sound  of  shouts  and 
pounding  from  the  coat  room.  Aware  that 
the  confusion  would  be  vastly  increased 
within  a  few  moments,  and  that  the  danger 
of  his  own  position  was  certain  to  be  en¬ 
larged,  Taylor  rushed  down  the  steps  lead¬ 
ing  to  the  driveway.  Before  him,  tied  to  a 
post,  was  the  horse  of  ‘  ‘  Mas ’  George.  ’  ’  Tay¬ 
lor  now  instantly  decided  what  he  would  do. 
Springing  to  the  post,  with  one  frantic  pull 
on  the  strap  he  freed  the  horse,  and  then 
sprang  upon  the  back  of  the  startled  animal. 

At  that  moment  Eben  appeared  on  his  way 
hack  from  the  barns. 

For  an  instant  the  black  boy  stopped  and 
in  open-eyed  astonishment  gazed  at  the  sight 


288  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


before  him.  Then,  realizing  that  evidently 
something  was  wrong,  he  darted  swiftly  for¬ 
ward,  shouting  in  his  loudest  tones,  4 ‘Hi! 
Mas’  George!  Mas’  George !” 

The  sight  of  the  approaching  negro  boy  in¬ 
creased  Taylor’s  excitement.  At  any  mo¬ 
ment  the  young  Confederate  officer  might  be 
freed  from  his  place  of  confinement.  As  the 
man  doubtless  was  armed,  the  peril  of  the  es¬ 
caping  prisoner  would  be  greatly  increased. 
The  appearance  of  Miss  Sallie  on  the  piazza 
added  to  Taylor’s  confusion.  For  a  moment 
she  gazed  at  the  fleeing  young  soldier,  and 
then  her  cry  of  alarm  was  added  to  that  of 
the  servants. 

So  sharply  did  Taylor  pull  on  the  rein  that 
the  horse  reared  and  backed,  and  for  a  time 
it  almost  seemed  to  the  rider  that  he  would 
not  be  able  to  turn  him  about.  The  young 
soldier’s  hands  were  trembling,  and  the  rein 
was  shaking  in  his  grasp. 

At  last,  after  what  seemed  to  him  in  his 
desperation  a  long  time,  although  in  reality 
it  was  quickly  done,  the  horse  was  headed 
down  the  lane,  and  in  response  to  Taylor’s 
urgent  slapping  of  the  bridle  rein,  leaped  for- 


A  BORROWED  HORSE 


289 


ward.  The  rider’s  feet  were  not  yet  in  the 
stirrups.  He  was,  however,  accustomed  to 
horseback  riding,  and  now,  without  delaying 
for  further  precautions,  he  darted  swiftly 
away. 

Leaning  low  on  the  neck  of  the  horse,  he 
glanced  behind  him.  He  could  see  the  serv¬ 
ants  and  Miss  Sallie  in  the  driveway  in  front 
of  the  great  house,  and  even  while  he  looked 
the  young  officer  appeared  in  their  midst. 
He,  too,  joined  in  the  shouting,  and  then 
quickly  raised  his  hand,  in  which  he  was  hold¬ 
ing  a  revolver,  and  fired  at  the  fleeing  man. 
Again  he  fired,  but  either  his  aim  was  poor 
in  his  excitement,  or  the  swiftly  running 
horse  proved  a  deceptive  target.  At  all 
events,  neither  horse  nor  rider  was  hit. 

Resisting  the  temptation  to  mock  his  foes, 
Taylor  still  bent  low  upon  the  neck  of  the 
horse  and  urged  the  beast  to  increased  speed. 
In  a  brief  time  he  gained  the  road,  and 
though  he  had  no  conception  of  the  places 
where  danger  was  most  to  be  feared,  he  un¬ 
hesitatingly  turned  to  his  right.  That  way 
at  least  led  northward — the  direction  in 
which  every  hope  of  safety  pointed. 


290  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


For  a  mile  or  more  Taylor  did  not  permit 
his  horse  to  slacken  the  speed  at  which  he 
was  running.  Several  times  side  roads  were 
passed,  and  the  young  rider  peered  intently 
into  them  as  he  fled  past,  fearful  of  behold¬ 
ing  pursuers  more  familiar  than  he  with  the 
region,  who  had  taken  advantage  of  their 
knowledge  of  short  cuts  or  paths  through  the 
woods  or  across  the  country. 

His  horse  now  began  to  manifest  signs  of 
distress.  The  poor  animal  might  already 
have  had  a  long  run  before  his  master  had 
returned  to  his  home,  Taylor  thought;  but 
pity  had  no  place  in  his  mind  now.  Flight 
from  the  region  was  his  supreme  purpose. 

When  another  mile  had  been  covered,  Tay¬ 
lor  was  aware  that  he  must  check  his  speed. 
The  poor  horse  was  wet  and  almost  covered 
with  foam,  and  his  breathing  was  agonized. 

Turning  into  a  path  on  his  left  that  led 
into  a  tract  of  woods,  Taylor  soon  permitted 
his  horse  to  walk.  He  continued  on  his  way 
until  he  was  convinced  that  no  one  passing 
on  the  road  could  perceive  him.  He  then 
dismounted  and  tied  his  panting  steed  to  a 
sapling.  He  himself  was  almost  in  as  dire 


A  BORROWED  HORSE 


291 


straits  as  his  horse  for,  despite  the  cold,  his 
face  was  dripping  with  perspiration,  and  he 
was  shaking  like  a  leaf  in  the  wind. 

Peering  amongst  the  trees  to  make  certain 
that  no  one  was  near,  Taylor  soon  decided 
to  leave  the  horse  where  he  was  tied,  while 
he  went  back  to  the  border  of  the  woods  near 
the  road.  Taking  a  stand  behind  a  large 
tree,  where  it  would  be  possible  for  him  to 
see  men  approaching  from  either  direction 
without  being  seen  himself,  he  waited  and 
watched  the  road. 

Nor  did  he  have  long  to  wait  before  he 
saw  some  one  approaching  from  the  direc¬ 
tion  in  which  he  himself  had  come.  A  man 
was  riding  furiously,  and  as  he  drew  near 
Taylor  at  once  recognized  him  as  Miss  Sal- 
lie’s  brother.  The  horse  upon  which  he  was 
mounted  was  large  and  apparently  strong 
and  fresh.  The  apparent  confidence  of  the 
rider  in  his  ability  to  overtake  any  fugitive 
was  well  placed,  Taylor  thought  grimly,  as 
he  watched  horse  and  rider  until  they  disap¬ 
peared  beyond  a  bend  in  the  road. 

It  was  now  nearly  the  middle  of  the  after¬ 
noon.  Glancing  first  at  the  sun  and  then  at 


292  ,  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  roadway,  Taylor  decided  to  remain  where 
he  was  until  darkness  should  come.  Mean¬ 
while,  too,  it  was  possible  that  the  young 
Confederate  officer,  who  was  so  keen  in  his 
pursuit,  might  return  and  abandon  his  at¬ 
tempt  to  regain  his  horse  and  secure  the 
man  who  had  stolen  it.  That  the  officer  did 
not  have  any  knowledge  who  the  man  he  was 
pursuing  really  was,  Taylor  was  confident. 
He  was  equally  positive  that  Miss  Sallie, 
despite  her  call,  when  he  had  taken  flight, 
would  not  betray  him. 

The  thought  of  the  girl  caused  Taylor  to 
look  down  at  the  clothing  he  was  wearing. 
The  suit  was  warm  and  not  ill  fitting.  Shoes 
and  stockings  were  on  his  feet,  and  a  soft 
felt  hat  on  his  head.  There  was  nothing  in 
the  garments  to  betray  their  wearer  as  be¬ 
longing  to  either  side  in  the  great  struggle 
which  at  the  time  was  going  on. 

He  thrust  his  hands  into  the  pockets  in 
the  coat,  and  from  one  he  drew  forth  a  piece 
of  paper  on  which  there  was  roughly  traced 
a  map  of  the  adjacent  country.  The  rivers 
and  larger  towns  even  to  the  borders  of  Ten- 

•  9 


A  BORROWED  HORSE 


293 


nessee  and  North  Carolina  were  all  indi¬ 
cated.  The  girl  had  done  more  than  clothe 
and  feed  him ;  she  had  even  given  her  enemy 
a  clue  to  the  entire  region.  Grateful,  as  he 
thought  of  what  this  meant  for  him,  as  well 
as  how  much  it  must  have  cost  the  girl  who, 
as  he  was  aware,  was  intense  in  her  devotion 
to  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy,  the  young 
soldier  thrust  the  rude  map  hack  into  his 
pocket  and  continued  his  investigations. 

He  did  not  find  anything  in  the  other  pock¬ 
ets  until  at  last  he  drew  out  the  folded  slip 
of  paper  which  he  had  so  strangely  received 
at  the  cabin  of  Aunt  Katy.  For  an  instant 
he  gazed  at  his  name,  which  had  been  in¬ 
scribed  on  the  outside.  Evidently  the  writer 
had  used  a  small  charred  stick  to  do  his  writ¬ 
ing,  and  yet  the  name — “Taylor  Cooper’ ’ — 
was  entirely  legible. 

Hastily  opening  the  paper  which  in  the 
confusion  of  his  flight  from  Miss  Sallie’s 
house  had  been  forgotten,  he  gazed  a  moment 
in  astonishment  at  the  one  word  it  con¬ 
tained — “Winnisboro.”  What  did  the  word 
mean!  What  was  implied  in  the  strange 


294  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


missive?  Was  the  name  that  of  a  place  or  of 
a  man?  Taylor  had  never  before  heard  the 
word. 

Again  he  drew  forth  the  map  which  Miss 
Sallie  had  made  and  given  him  as  he  believed. 
There,  not  far  from  the  Wateree  river  was 
a  little  place  which  had  the  name  inscribed  on 
the  slip  which  he  had  received.  But  what 
was  the  relation  between  Winnisboro  and 
Taylor  Cooper?  Had  some  one  written  him 
from  there?  If  so,  for  what  purpose?  Or 
was  it  meant  that  he  was  to  seek  the  place? 

Consulting  his  map  again,  Taylor  con¬ 
cluded  that  the  little  place  was  forty  or  more 
miles  distant  from  Columbia.  At  all  events 
it  was  north  of  Camp  Sorghum,  and  the  di¬ 
rection  in  which  it  was  located  of  itself  ap¬ 
pealed  to  him. 

For  several  minutes  he  studied  the  slip, 
striving  to  discover  some  clue  as  to  its  writer 
and  his  purpose.  The  scrawling  writing  was 
in  a  hand  which  he  was  unable  to  recognize. 
It  was  quite  possible  that  Erwin  might  have 
been  at  Aunt  Katy’s  cabin  before  he  arrived 
there.  The  colored  woman  had  acknowl¬ 
edged  that  other  escaping  prisoners  had  been 


A  BORROWED  HORSE  295 


aided  by  her.  Taylor  bad  no  difficulty  in 
conjecturing  that  Aunt  Katy  was  one  of  tlie 
faithful  negroes  who  were  aiding  the  soldiers 
of  the  North.  Doubtless  her  cabin,  too,  was 
one  in  the  long  line  where  escaping  prisoners 
were  received  and  cared  for,  and  then  as¬ 
sisted  on  their  way  to  the  North. 

But  what  of  Winnisboro?  Was  that  a  link 
in  the  chain?  Was  he  expected  to  find  his 
way  there?  And  if  he  succeeded  in  his  at¬ 
tempt,  whom  was  he  to  seek  in  the  town? 
The  mystery  was  by  no  means  cleared  when 
at  last  the  young  soldier  thrust  the  note  back 
into  his  pocket  and  resumed  his  watch. 

The  hours  dragged  on  slowly,  but  only  a 
few  people  passed  the  place.  An  aged  negro 
had  been  one.  He  was  seated  in  a  rude  little 
two-wheeled  cart,  which  was  drawn  by  a 
small  and  cadaverous  black  ox.  At  first  Tay¬ 
lor  had  been  tempted  to  hail  the  man,  but 
thinking  better  of  his  purpose  he  had  not 
done  so.  A  white  man  having  long  yellow 
hair  and  a  tobacco-stained,  straggling  beard 
as  yellow  as  his  hair,  had  walked  down  the 
road,  but  his  appearance  had  been  still  less 
inviting  than  the  negro’s. 


296  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


The  afternoon  crept  slowly  on  and  at  last 
the  dusk  appeared.  Not  another  sign  had 
been  seen  of  the  young  Confederate  officer, 
who  had  been  eager  in  his  pursuit.  If  he  had 
returned,  he  must  have  done  so  by  another 
road,  Taylor  concluded.  Even  if  it  was  not 
entirely  safe  for  him  to  resume  his  flight,  it 
would  be  less  perilous  than  to  remain  longer 
where  he  then  was.  Accordingly  Taylor  re¬ 
turned  to  the  place  where  his  horse  had  been 
left.  The  time  for  further  action  had  ar¬ 
rived. 

A  low  whinny  greeted  him  as  he  ap¬ 
proached  the  horse.  Unfastening  him,  Tay¬ 
lor  led  the  animal,  upon  which  his  hopes  now 
depended,  to  a  brook  and  permitted  him  to 
drink  his  fill.  Still  not  mounting,  he  led  the 
horse  by  the  bridle  until  the  road  was  again 
before  him. 

First  satisfying  himself  that  no  one  was 
within  sight,  Taylor  mounted  and  turned 
northward.  For  a  time  he  proceeded  slowly, 
maintaining  a  careful  outlook  as  he  advanced. 
Winnisboro,  which  he  now  had  decided  to 
seek,  must  lie  somewhere  to  the  north.  This 


A  BORROWED  HORSE 


297 


was  the  sole  idea  of  direction  in  his  mind 
now. 

He  passed  several  huts  or  houses,  but  not 
one  appeared  inviting,  and  he  dared  not  stop 
to  make  the  inquiries  he  was  eager  to  make. 
He  must  save  the  strength  of  his  horse,  too, 
for  at  any  moment  he  might  be  compelled 
to  flee  for  his  life. 

An  hour  had  elapsed  and  the  darkness  had 
deepened.  The  sky  was  overcast  and  signs 
of  an  approaching  storm  were  multiplying. 
Taylor  had  crossed  two  small  streams,  his 
horse’s  hoofs  sounding  noisily  on  the  timbers 
of  the  rude  bridges,  and  now  not  far  before 
him  he  discovered  another  bridge.  As  he 
came  nearer,  his  anxiety  increased  when  he 
became  aware  that  before  him  was  a  long 
covered  bridge  that  spanned  the  stream. 
With  every  sense  alert  he  slowly  entered  the 
dark  structure.  Not  a  sound  was  heard  un¬ 
til  he  had  come  nearly  to  the  exit.  Then  the 
silence  was  broken  by  the  sharp  call  of  a  man. 


CHAPTEE  XXIV 

CAPTAIN  HITT’S  BAND 


The  first  impulse  in  Taylor’s  mind  was  to 
turn  sharply  about  and  flee  back  across  the 
bridge.  He  could  see  the  man  before  him  in 
the  dim  light,  and  apparently  be  was  alone. 
The  gun  in  the  bands  of  the  man,  however, 
was  a  deciding  element,  even  if  Taylor  bad 
not  been  aware  that  bis  horse  was  so  nearly 
exhausted  as  to  make  flight  well-nigh  impos¬ 
sible. 

“Who  goes  there?”  again  demanded  the 
man. 

“A  friend,”  Taylor  responded  quietly. 
The  sharp  call  implied  that  the  stranger  was 
a  soldier,  and  also  that  a  camp  might  be  near. 
The  fact,  however,  that  no  one  else  was  to 
be  seen  was  somewhat  reassuring.  Trusting 
to  his  ability  to  explain  his  presence  on  the 
bridge,  or  at  least  to  avoid  arousing  the 

man’s  further  suspicions,  Taylor  rode  for- 

298 


CAPTAIN  HITT’S  BAND 


299 


ward  in  response  to  the  call  for  him  to  ad¬ 
vance. 

As  he  passed  out  from  the  darkness  of  the 
bridge  the  man  seized  Taylor’s  horse  by  the 
bridle  and  peered  intently  into  the  young 
rider’s  face.  The  searching  scrutiny  was 
borne  quietly  by  Taylor,  who  was  doing  his 
utmost  to  maintain  an  air  of  indifference. 

“Whar’  you ’-all  goin’?”  inquired  the 
guard  sharply. 

“  Winnisboro.” 

1  ‘  What  fur?” 

“I  don’t  know  that  it  concerns  you.” 

“ We’ve  orders  t’  stop  ev’ry  man  an’  make 
him  give  an  account  of  himself,”  said  the 
soldier  almost  apologetically,  as  Taylor 
thought. 

“That’s  right,”  responded  Taylor. 
“Can’t  be  too  careful  in  these  times.” 

“Yo’-all  might  be  a  stranger  in  these  hyar 
pahts  ?  ’  ’ 

“That’s  correct.” 

“Whar’  did  yo’-all  come  from?” 

“Just  now  I  came  from  Captain  George 
Hitt’s.” 


300  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Apparently  the  man  was  interested  at 
once,  and  Taylor  regretted  what  he  had  said. 
It  was  too  late  to  recall  the  words,  however, 
and  the  young  soldier  was  aware  that  now  he 
must  do  his  utmost  to  play  well  the  part  he 
had  assumed. 

“Is  the  cap’n  cornin’  shortly V9 

“Yes,  sir.  He  was  in  great  haste  the  last 
time  I  saw  him.” 

“Yo’  had  bettah  stop  an’  explain  to  the 
lieutenant.” 

“That  isn’t  necessary,”  said  Taylor, 
hastily.  “Just  now  I  am  needed  at  Winnis- 
boro,  and  the  captain  himself  will  soon  be 
here.  He  can  explain  to  the  lieutenant  better 
than  I  can.” 

“That  may  be  so,  sub,”  said  the  guard, 
dubiously.  “The  lieutenant’s  orders  was 
fo’  me  t’  bring  ev’ry  suspicious  man  t’ 
him.  ’  ’ 

“You  don’t  think  I’m  suspicious,  do  you?” 
inquired  Taylor,  attempting  to  speak  lightly. 

“Yo’-all  are  a  stranger.” 

“To  you,  but  not  to  the  captain.” 

“Thet  may  be  so,  stranger.” 

“I’m  in  great  haste  now.  I  don’t  think 


CAPTAIN  HITT’S  BAND 


301 


Captain  Hitt  would  take  it  kindly  if  you  de¬ 
layed  me.” 

“Was  you  a  goin’  to  Win’sboro  fo’  th’ 
cap  ’n  ?  ” 

“If  it  hadn’t  been  for  him  I  shouldn’t  even 
have  thought  of  going  there.” 

“What’s  wrong,  Plioeb?”  inquired  a  sec¬ 
ond  man  who  now  drew  near  out  of  the  dark¬ 
ness. 

If  Taylor’s  horse  had  been  only  measur¬ 
ably  fresh  the  young  soldier  would  have  at¬ 
tempted  to  dash  past  the  men.  The  position 
was  more  perilous  than  it  had  been  before, 
and  Taylor’s  alarm  increased.  It  was  well- 
nigh  impossible  to  escape  two  men  who 
blocked  his  way.  His  wits  must  serve  him 
now,  Taylor  decided. 

“Nothin’  wrong,  I  reck’n,  Lieutenant,” 
said  the  guard.  “This  yere  man  is  just 
come  from  Cap’n  Hitt’s,  an’  is  on  his  way  to 
Win ’boro.” 

“From  Captain  Hitt’s!”  exclaimed  the 
lieutenant  quickly.  “That’s  good.  Did  he 
send  any  word  to  me?”  he  added,  as  he 
stepped  forward,  and  in  the  dim  light  tried 
to  ]ook  into  Taylor’s  face. 


302  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“No,  sir,”  responded  Taylor. 

“That’s  strange.” 

Taylor  did  not  feel  called  npon  to  explain 
what  he  himself  did  not  know,  and  accord¬ 
ingly  was  silent. 

‘ ‘  When  did  yon  leave  the  cap ’n!”  inquired 
the  officer. 

“This  afternoon.” 

The  lieutenant  appeared  to  he  startled  by 
the  simple  reply,  although  Taylor  was  unable 
to  comprehend  the  cause. 

“Yo’-all  will  have  to  stop  and  explain,” 
said  the  officer  at  last. 

“I  haven’t  anything  to  explain.” 

“Yo’-all  will  have  to  explain  that,  too,”  the 
lieutenant  suggested. 

“I  don’t  understand.”  The  confusion  of 
Taylor  was  as  great  as  his  fear,  now  that 
every  way  of  escape  seemingly  was  being 
blocked. 

“Dismount  and  follow  me,”  said  the  of¬ 
ficer,  abruptly. 

There  was  no  help  for  it,  and  the  young 
soldier  dismounted.  “You  will  not  keep  me 
very  long,  will  you?”  he  inquired. 

“That’s  as  may  be,”  replied  the  iieuten- 


CAPTAIN  HITT’S  BAND 


303 


ant,  enigmatically.  “ That’s  Cap’n  George’s 
liorse,  Mag,  all  riglit  enough,”  he  suggested 
to  the  guard,  as  soon  as  he  had  inspected 
the  animal  as  well  as  the  insufficient  light 
permitted. 

4 ‘I  reck’n  th’  man  ’s  all  right,  sho’ 
enough,”  responded  the  guard. 

The  officer  did  not  refer  to  his  own  impres¬ 
sions,  and  turning  to  Taylor,  he  said 
briefly,  “Come  with  me.” 

Turning  sharply  about,  the  officer  led  the 
way  into  a  path  which  Taylor  had  not  before 
seen.  The  way  led  through  bushes,  and  was 
at  right  angles  to  the  road.  The  young  sol¬ 
dier’s  heart  was  filled  with  misgivings  now, 
but  apparently  he  made  no  objection,  as  he 
proceeded  beside  his  guide. 

The  two  men  had  not  advanced  more  than 
fifty  yards  when  Taylor  beheld  before  him 
a  camping  place.  A  smouldering  fire  was 
burning  in  the  center,  about  which  a  score 
of  men  were  lying  on  the  ground,  and 
wrapped  in  blankets. 

The  scene  was  not  comforting,  and  Tay¬ 
lor’s  alarm  increased  at  the  sight  of  the 
sleeping  men  before  him.  In  some  way,  he 


304  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


was  confident,  they  were  connected  with  Cap¬ 
tain  George  Hitt,  though  why  they  were  here 
was  a  problem  for  which  he  could  not  think 
of  any  solution. 

The  return  of  the  lieutenant  did  not 
arouse  his  followers,  although  one  or  two 
men  stirred  at  his  approach. 

‘  ‘  Sit  down  there !  ’  ’  said  the  lieutenant  to 
Taylor,  when  they  drew  near  the  fire.  As 
his  suggestion  was  obeyed,  he  continued, 
“Now,  then,  stranger,  th’  best  thing  fo’  yo’- 
all  to  do  is  V  make  a  clean  breast  of  it.” 

“Of  what?” 

“Of  the  whole  thing.” 

“I  don’t  understand.” 

“What  are  yo’  doin’?” 

“  ‘ Doing!’  Can’t  you  see?  I’m  not  do¬ 
ing  anything.” 

“Perhaps  yo’ll  say  yo’  aren’t  a  Yank?” 

“Do  I  look  like  one?”  inquired  Taylor, 
striving  to  speak  lightly,  although  his  alarm 
was  renewed  by  the  startling  and  unexpected 
question. 

“I  can’t  jest  say  about  the  ‘looks,’ 
stranger.  I  reck’n  I  can  tell  better  ’bout 
that  when  it’s  daylight.  But  from  what  I 


CAPTAIN  HITT’S  BAND 


305 


heah,  I  s’pect  yo’  are  a  Yank,  as  sho’  ’s  yo’re 
born.” 

4  ‘  What  have  you  heard  V’ 

4 ‘What  did  I  heah  you  say  was  the  time 
when  yo’-all  lef’  Cap’n  George  Hitt’s  place, 
suh  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  don’t  think  I  mentioned  the  hour.” 

“Yo’  sho’ly  did  not.  But  yo’  made  a  ref¬ 
erence  toe  tli’  time.” 

“This  afternoon,”  suggested  Taylor. 

“That’s  it,  stranger.  Yanks  say  ‘after¬ 
noon.’  Down  yere,  we-uns  all  say  ‘evenin’, 
suh.  ’  ’ 

It  was  true,  Taylor  had  betrayed  himself 
by  his  speech.  He  had  endeavored  to  say  as 
little  as  possible,  but  even  the  few  words  he 
had  spoken  had  revealed  him  as  he  was  to 
the  keen-witted  officer. 

“I  lived  north  when  I  was  a  small  boy,” 
began  Taylor.  “My  grandfather  lived  in 
New  York  State,  and  I  have  spent  many  a 
summer  with  him.” 

The  statement,  of  course,  was  not  untrue  in 
a  way,  but  the  eager  young  soldier  was  not 
confident  his  explanation  would  be  well  re¬ 
ceived. 


306  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


i  ‘  That  may  all  be  as  yon  say,  stranger/ ’ 
said  the  officer.  “I’m  not  denyin’  a  word  of 
it.  Perhaps  yo’  mouglit  be  willin’  toe  in¬ 
form  me  whar  yo’  home  mouglit  be!” 

“What  good  will  that  do!  Yon  think  I 
am  a  Yank,  and  anything  I  can  do  or  say 
won’t  do  any  good  now.  I  think  I’ll — you 
are  expecting  Captain  Hitt,  soon!”  he  ab¬ 
ruptly  added. 

“I  reck’n  Cap’n  George  mought  turn  up 
mos’  any  time.” 

“Then  our  best  plan  will  be  to  wait  until 
he  comes.” 

“Thet’s  fo’  yo’  toe  say,  stranger.” 

“If  you  are  going  to  hold  me  here,  I  think 
I  prefer  to  wait  until  Captain  Hitt  comes.” 

“That’s  agreeable  to  me.” 

“It  may  not  be  to  the  captain,”  Taylor 
suggested. 

“I  shan’t  dispute  yo’  as  to  thet.” 

For  a  moment  there  was  silence  which  was 
broken  by  the  approach  of  the  horse  Taylor 
had  been  riding,  now  being  led  by  one  of  the 
men  whom  the  lieutenant  had  sent  for  it. 

“This  is  the  cap’n’s  horse  all  right 
enough,  ’  ’  remarked  the  lieutenant,  ‘  ‘  and 


CAPTAIN  HITT’S  BAND 


307 


everything  may  be  just  as  yo’-all  says  it  is, 
but  yo’-all  will  have  toe  stay  with  us,  stran¬ 
ger,  till  be  himself  comes  an’  says  so.” 

“ That’s  what  I  suggested,  wasn’t  it!” 

“I  b’lieve  yo’  did  refer  toe  it.  Now,  then, 
stranger,  I  reck’n  we  mought  as  well  turn  in. 
In  the  mo’nin’  things  may  look  different. 
Perhaps  I’d  better  inform  yo’  thet  the’s  a 
guyard  about  this  yere  camp,  an’  any 
man  who  tries  fo’  toe  get  away  is  likely  toe 
heah  a  gun  go  off  without  much  waitin’  fo’ 
toe  find  out  whether  he  happens  toe  be  a 
Yank  or  the  first  cousin  o’  Jefferson  Davis. 
I  reck’n  yo’  understan’s  toe  what  I’m  re¬ 
ferring  ” 

“Yes.  I  think  I  take  your  meaning.” 

“Then  we  mought  ’s  well  turn  in,  sub.  I 
regret  that  I  am  not  able  to  set  befo’  a  friend 
o’  th’  cap’n  what  is  mo’  becomin’,  but  I 
reck’n  yo’  all  won’t  object  t’  sharin’  my  tent 
with  me!” 

“That  will  suit  me  all  right,”  responded 
Taylor.  In  a  few  minutes  he  and  his  captor 
were  lying  on  blankets  on  the  ground  of  the 
sole  tent  apparently  in  the  possession  of  the 
band. 


308  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


For  a  time  schemes  of  escaping  so  filled 
the  thoughts  of  the  young  soldier  that  all 
else  was  banished  from  his  mind.  Mani¬ 
festly  he  was  in  the  midst  of  a  small  force 
which  in  some  way  was  connected  with  Miss 
Sallied  brother.  He  was  not  even  positive 
that  he  would  be  able  to  recognize  the  young 
captain  if  he  should  see  him. 

The  momentary  glimpse  he  had  obtained 
of  the  man  seated  at  a  table  not  far  from  the 
door  which  Taylor  had  swiftly  passed  in 
the  hallway,  had  not  been  sufficient  to  fasten 
the  recollection  of  the  young  officer’s  face  in 
his  memory.  On  the  other  hand,  there  was 
no  question  that  the  captain  would  recog¬ 
nize  his  own  horse,  and  naturally  conclude 
that  the  rider  had  been  the  man  who  had 
unceremoniously  departed  with  it  from  the 
Hitt  plantation. 

Taylor’s  thoughts  were  far  from  pleasing. 
To  attempt  to  escape  now  was  not  to  be  con¬ 
sidered.  His  sole  hope  rested  upon  the  fail¬ 
ure  of  the  young  captain  to  return  before  he 
himself  had  found  or  made  some  way  out  of 
his  present  difficulties.  The  prospect  of 


CAPTAIN  IIITT’S  BAND 


309 


either  was  not  bright,  but  at  last  Taylor  fell 
asleep. 

It  was  daylight  when  he  was  awakened 
by  the  sound  of  voices  near  the  entrance  to 
the  tent.  “ Bring  him  out!”  Taylor  heard 
someone  say,  sharply.  Concluding  that  the 
captain  had  returned  and  was  demanding 
that  the  unknown  rider  of  his  horse  should 
be  produced,  Taylor  at  once  arose  and 
stepped  outside,  there  to  find  himself  face  to 
face  with  a  young  Confederate  officer  whom 
he  at  once  recognized  by  his  striking  resem¬ 
blance  to  Miss  Sallie. 

“  You  are  the  man  that  stole  my  horse,  are 
you!”  demanded  the  young  officer  sharply, 
as  he  looked  sternly  at  Taylor. 

“That  is  too  strong  a  word,  Captain.” 

“It  is,  is  it!  And  I  sent  you  to  Winnis- 
boro,  did  I!  And  you  wanted  to  wait  until 
I  came  back,  did  you!  Well,  here  I  am! 
What  have  you  to  say!” 

As  Taylor  did  not  reply,  the  angry  captain 
turned  to  two  men  near  him  and  said, 
‘  ‘  Search  him !  Search  him  from  his  head  to 


his  toes.” 


310  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


It  was  useless  to  resist,  and  in  a  moment 
tlie  search  began.  The  first  discovery  was 
of  the  map  Miss  Sallie  had  made.  When 
the  paper  was  handed  to  the  captain,  he 
glanced  sharply  at  it,  and  then  looking  up, 
said  quickly — “It  is  just  as  I  thought.  The 
man  is  a  spy.” 


CHAPTER  XXV 


UNDER  GUARD 

“You  are  mistaken,”  said  Taylor  quietly, 
although  a  great  fear  had  arisen  in  his  heart 
at  the  charge.  He  was  well  aware  that  there 
were  many,  many  things  to  confirm  the  young 
captain  in  his  belief.  First  of  all,  Taylor 
realized  that  his  speech  betrayed  him,  for 
it  bore  slight  resemblance  to  that  of  the  men 
about  him.  Then,  too,  the  vest  he  wore  was 
part  of  the  uniform  of  a  Confederate  soldier. 
The  map  was  also  an  added  cause  of  sus¬ 
picion,  while  the  discovery  of  his  horse  in 
the  possession  of  the  prisoner  did  not  tend 
to  soothe  the  angry  feelings  of  the  captain, 
even  if  it  did  not  of  itself  do  more  than 
imply  a  theft. 

“That  will  be  for  you  to  explain  to  the 
court-martial,”’  replied  Captain  Hitt  brusque- 

]j.  - 

“Will  you  believe  me  if  I  tell  you  exactly 
who  I  am?”  inquired  Taylor. 

311 


312  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“I’ll  listen.” 

“I  am  a  Union  soldier.  I  am  perfectly 
willing  to  own  that.  I  have  been  a  prisoner 
in  Libby,  at  Danville,  and  then  at  Camp  Sor¬ 
ghum,  near  Columbia.  I  escaped  from  the 
camp — ” 

“When?  How?”  interrupted  the  young 
officer. 

“A  few  days  ago — I  can’t  tell  you  just  how 
long  ago  it  was.  How  I  got  away  I  shan’t 
explain.  It  might  hurt  some  of  the  other 
poor  fellows  there  who  may  be  suffering  as 
much  as  I  did  while  I  was  in  the  horrible 
place.  ’  ’ 

“Go  on,”  said  the  captain,  quietly. 

“Well,  I  managed  to  get  away — ” 

“Were  you  alone?” 

“No,  sir.” 

“How  many  were  with  you?  Where  are 
they  now?” 

“I  wish  I  knew  where  they  were,”  said 
Taylor. 

“You  don’t  know?” 

“I  don’t.” 

“How  many  got  away  when  you  did?” 

“I  shall  not  tell  you.” 


UNDER  GUARD 


313 


“Go  on  with  yonr  story,  sir.” 

“There  isn’t  much  more  to  tell.  Some¬ 
how,  I  managed  to  keep  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  rebels  until  to-day  After  I  got  your 
horse  I  thought  I  was  sure  to  gain  our  lines. 
Now  I  wish  I  had  never  seen  the  animal.” 

The  young  officer  laughed  for  the  first  time 
in  the  interview.  “Then  you  are  the  man 
who  shut  me  in  the  cloak  room  of  my  own 
house,  are  you!  If  you  don’t  mind,  I  wish 
you  would  explain  to  me  what  you  were  do¬ 
ing  in  the  house — how  you  happened  to  be 
there.  ’  ’ 

“I  was  hiding.” 

“In  the  house!” 

“Yes,  sir.” 

“That  sounds  well,  but  it  isn’t  very  likely, 
that’s  all  I  have  to  say.” 

“It  is  true.” 

“You  weren’t  looking  for  papers  or  any¬ 
thing!” 

“No,  sir.” 

“What  made  you  go  to  the  house!” 

“I  found  the  door  on  the  side  piazza  open, 
and  I  went  in.  I  knew  that  a  search  for 
Union  men  wouldn’t  be  made  in  Captain 


314  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Hitt’s  house.  In  one  way  the  place  was  dan¬ 
gerous,  but  in  another  it  was  the  safest  place 
I  could  find.” 

“Where  did  you  hide!” 

“Upstairs — in  the  attic.” 

“And  you  did  not  meet  anyone  in  the 
house!”  inquired  the  captain,  incredulously. 
“That  isn’t  very  likely.” 

“It’s  more  likely  than  that  anyone  in  your 
house  would  help  me.” 

“That  may  be  so,  sir.  It’s  fortunate  for 
you  that  Sallie — my  sister — did  not  see  you. 
She  hates  Yankees  worse  than  any  girl  in 
the  South  does.” 

“So  I  heard — so  I  have  heard,”  Taylor 
hastily  corrected  himself. 

“Where  did  you  get  those  clothes  you  are 
wearing!” 

“I  found  them  in  the  attic.” 

“And  helped  yourself  to  them!” 

“I  did,”  said  Taylor,  drily.  “Wouldn’t 
you !  ’  ’ 

I  “No,  sir.  I  wouldn’t  wear  a  Yankee  rag 
to  keep  me  from  freezing!  You  have  not 
told  me  about  the  map.” 

“It  is  just  a  rude  little  affair,  as  you  can 


UNDER  GUARD 


315 


see.  There  isn’t  a  mark  on  it  to  show  a 
thing  about  the  rebel  camps,  or  men.  It’s 
just  a  plain  paper  that  I  thought  would  help 
me  to  work  north.” 

‘ 4 Your  men  are  south,”  said  the  captain 
bitterly.  “That  villain,  Sherman — ”  The 
officer  checked  himself  abruptly. 

“I  do  not  know  where  Sherman  is,”  said 
Taylor.  “We  prisoners  were  not  kept  in¬ 
formed  about  the  doings  of  the  armies.  I 
wanted  to  know,  though.  Has  Richmond 
fallen?” 

“Richmond  fallen!”  retorted  the  captain. 
“When  the  sun  falls  out  of  the  sky,  then 
you  may  look  for  the  fall  of  Richmond,  and 
not  before.” 

“What  is  General  Sherman  doing  so  far 
south,  then?” 

“Doing?  He’s  done  everything  a  fiend 
incarnate  ever  did.  He  has  robbed  our 
houses,  burned  our  barns,  turned  the  negroes 
against  us — ” 

“I  have  heard  all  that,”  interrupted  Tay¬ 
lor,  “but  you  aren’t  fair  yourself.” 

“Not  fair?  What  do  you  mean?” 

“Just  what  I  say.  You  wouldn’t  expect 


316  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


General  Sherman  to  come  down  South  and 
have  his  men  sit  around  in  tents  knitting 
stockings  or  doing  fancy  embroidery,  would 
you!  I  never  heard  that  war  was  a  pic¬ 
nic — ” 

“Did  you  ever  see  my  sister — Miss  Sallie 
Hitt!”  abruptly  demanded  the  officer. 

For  a  moment  Taylor  was  well-nigh  stag¬ 
gered  by  the  question.  He  was  not  minded 
to  betray  the  aid  which  the  young  girl  had 
given  him.  He  understood  how  intense  her 
feeling  of  loyalty  to  the  Confederacy  was, 
but  if  it  was  even  suspected  that  she  had 
aided  an  escaping  Union  prisoner,  even  her 
devotion  would  be  questioned,  and  her  trou¬ 
bles  would  be  greatly  multiplied.  His  mo¬ 
mentary  hesitation  was  manifestly  not  pleas¬ 
ing  to  the  young  officer,  whom  Taylor,  as  he 
glanced  up,  found  to  be  sternly  regarding 
him. 

“Is  your  sister  the  young  lady  with  light 
hair  and  blue  eyes  that  are  very  bright!  Is 
she  tall!  Is  she  the  one  who  was  singing 
most  of  the  time!” 

“You  seem  to  have  a  pretty  full  descrip¬ 
tion.” 


UNDER  GUARD 


317 


“Well,  if  she  is  the  one  I  mean,  then  I 
did  see  her.  She  must  have  been  the  young 
lady  who  was  so  angry  when  I  ‘  borrowed ’ 
your  horse.  She  was  shouting  for  some  one 
to  come  and  stop  or  shoot  the  horse  thief.  I 
saw  her,  and  I  heard  her,  too.  If  all  the  girls 
in  the  South  are  like  her — ” 

“That  was  Sallie,  all  right/ ’  said  the 
young  captain,  plainly  led  into  other  thoughts 
by  Taylor’s  reference  to  Miss  Sallie’s  fran¬ 
tic  calls  for  aid.  “Your  story  may  be  a  true 
one,”  he  added.  “Indeed,  I  am  inclined  to 
believe  it  is  true.  But  you  will  have  to  go 
with  the  detail — ” 

‘  ‘  Where  ? ’  ’ 

“South — to  our  men  in  the  rear  of  Sher¬ 
man.  I  am  sorry  I  can’t  go  with  you  my¬ 
self,  but  I’ll  see  to  it  that  you  don’t  lose  your 
way.  I  must  stay  up  here  and  be  on  the 
lookout  for  Yankee  spies  and  escaping  pris¬ 
oners,  to  say  nothing  of  our  deserters.  The 
hills  of  Tennessee  and  North  Carolina  are 
too  tempting  for  such  fellows.  We  have  to 
cut  them  off  if  we  can — and  we  can.  You 
can  tell  your  story  at  the  court-martial.  Per¬ 
haps  you  will  be  believed.  I  am  inclined  to 


318  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


think  you  are  telling  me  the  truth,  hut  I  have 
not  found  that  I  could  just  take  the  word  of 
every  man  in  these  times — and  I’m  afraid 
it  hasn’t  made  very  much  difference  whether 
he  came  from  the  North  or  South.’ ’ 

The  young  captain  held  a  whispered  con¬ 
versation  with  one  of  his  men,  then  mount¬ 
ing  his  horse,  which  had  been  rested  and  fed, 
rode  away  from  the  camp.  After  his  de¬ 
parture,  some  plain  food  was  brought  Tay¬ 
lor,  which  he  eagerly  ate,  but  not  a  word  was 
spoken  to  him  by  any  of  the  men,  nor  were 
any  plans  for  departure  apparent.  That 
Taylor  was  to  be  taken  to  the  South,  he  did 
not  doubt,  though  how  he  was  to  go  he  could 
not  discover. 

Indeed,  the  entire  day  passed  and  still  not 
a  word  was  spoken  concerning  the  departure. 
At  nightfall  he  begged  for  the  privilege  of  a 
bath  in  the  cold  waters  of  the  stream  in  the 
valley  below  the  camping  place.  The  priv¬ 
ilege  was  granted,  and  two  of  the  force  ac¬ 
companied  him  to  the  bank,  although  neither 
of  them  shared  or  apparently  approved  the 
project. 

Greatly  refreshed,  Taylor  returned  to  the 


UNDER  GUARD 


319 


camp,  and  as  soon  as  supper  was  served,  he 
was  ordered  within  a  tent.  There  he 
stretched  himself  upon  the  ground  and  slept 
heavily  until  he  was  awakened  in  the  morn¬ 
ing. 

Again  food  was  served  the  prisoner,  and 
despite  the  apparent  hopelessness  of  his  po¬ 
sition,  Taylor  ate  heartily,  not  knowing  when 
a  similar  opportunity  would  be  had.  Soon 
after  sunrise  he  was  summoned  by  two  of  the 
men  and  told  that  he  must  accompany  them. 
His  questions  as  to  their  destination  were 
not  answered,  but  soon  he  was  aware  that 
they  were  proceeding  over  the  road  on  which 
he  had  traveled  the  previous  day.  One  of 
the  two  men  who  were  with  him  was  riding 
an  old  and  stiffened  horse.  The  other  man 
was  walking  behind  the  young  prisoner,  who 
was  compelled  to  advance  in  a  position  be¬ 
tween  the  horse  and  the  second  man. 

Somehow,  the  feeling  in  Taylor’s  heart 
was  not  entirely  one  of  despair.  To  have 
been  retaken,  after  his  successful  efforts  in 
leaving  Camp  Sorghum,  and  the  journey  he 
had  made  for  what  he  was  positive  must  be 
twenty  miles  or  more,  was  certainly  not  in- 


320  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


spiring.  And  yet  the  information  he  had  ob¬ 
tained  from  Captain  Hitt  that  General  Sher¬ 
man’s  army  was  in  Georgia,  was  in  turn  a 
source  of  hope.  Exchanges  of  prisoners 
might  be  made,  and  as  Taylor  was  confident 
that  he  would  be  successful  in  convincing  the 
proper  authorities  that  he  really  was  what 
he  claimed  to  be,  and  not  a  spy,  there  was 
hope  that  he  might  be  among  the  fortunate 
number  to  be  returned  to  the  Union  army. 
The  determination  to  escape  also,  was  by  no 
means  slumbering.  He  was  watchful  of 
every  step  the  little  party  was  taking,  pre¬ 
pared  to  make  the  most  of  any  opportunity 
that  presented  itself.  As  mile  after  mile 
was  covered  in  the  weary  journey,  and  the 
attendants  were  keenly  observant  of  him  all 
the  way,  Taylor  almost  decided  that  for  the 
present  his  wisest  course  would  be  to  con¬ 
form  fully  to  the  demands  of  his  guard. 

He  several  times  attempted  to  draw  them 
into  conversation,  but  his  efforts  were  un¬ 
successful.  At  intervals  the  men  exchanged 
places,  and  the  one  who  before  had  been  serv¬ 
ing  as  a  rear  guard,  advanced  and  took  his 
companion’s  place  on  the  back  of  the  horse, 


UNDER  GUARD 


321 


and  the  former  rider  became  the  guard.  If 
he  had  possessed  any  means  of  doing  so, 
Taylor  would  have  tried  to  bribe  the  men, 
but  he  had  no  money,  even  the  few  Confeder¬ 
ate  dollars  which  Aunt  Katy  had  given  him 
having  been  given  up  when  the  captain  had 
searched  his  person. 

Taylor  enviously  watched  the  two  men 
when  they  exchanged  places,  and  suddenly 
decided  that  he,  too,  was  entitled  to  ride  at 
least  a  part  of  the  way.  For  a  long  time  he 
had  been  walking  in  silence.  Suddenly  with  a 
groan  he  seated  himself  upon  the  ground, 
and  the  little  procession  at  once  halted. 

“What’s  th’  trouble,  Yank!”  inquired  one 
of  the  men. 

“I’ve  turned  my  ankle,”  replied  Taylor, 
groaning  heavily. 

“That’s  too  had.  I  reck’n  yo’-all  ’ll  liev 
ter  keep  on.” 

“I  can’t  walk,”  replied  Taylor,  attempting 
to  rise  as  he  spoke,  and  then  sinking  back 
to  the  ground  with  a  heartrending  groan. 
“If  I  only  had  some  hot  water!” 

“Can’t  be  had.  Yo’ll  feel  better  after  a 


bit.” 


322  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“ Perhaps  I  will.  It’s  good  of  you  to  wait 
for  me.” 

“We  haven’t  said  we’d  wait.  We  jest  got 
t’  be  at  th’  crossroads  by  two  o’clock.” 

Taylor’s  groans  became  still  more  pro¬ 
nounced  and  agonizing. 

“Let  th’  Yank  ride  a  bit,”  suggested  the 
man  on  horseback. 

“Walkin’  is  good  enough  for  th’  blue- 
belly,”  retorted  the  second  man. 

“Naw,  Tom.  We-uns  ’ll  lose  time.  Give 
him  a  lift.” 

Groaning  loudly,  Taylor  was  helped  to  a 
seat  on  the  back  of  the  horse.  The  little 
procession  resumed  its  advance,  but  any  hope 
Taylor  had  cherished  that  his  horse  would  be 
of  assistance  in  escaping  was  lost  when  one 
of  the  men,  drawing  his  pistol,  an  example 
which  his  companion  followed,  called,  “Now, 
none  o’  yer  tricks,  Yank!  We-uns  hev  got 
yo’  all  spotted,  and  th’  first  sign  o’  trouble 
makes  th’  gun  pop.  Understand!” 

Taylor  was  convinced  that  he  did,  and  re¬ 
plied  accordingly.  He  strove  to  console 
himself  with  the  knowledge  that,  even  if  es¬ 
cape  was  impossible,  riding  was  much  more 


UNDER  GUARD 


323 


easy  than  walking,  an  assurance  that  became 
more  impressive  when  he  glanced  at  the  men 
toiling  over  the  rough  road. 

The  “lame”  prisoner  was  not  requested 
to  give  up  his  seat  until  two  hours  later, 
when  the  little  party  arrived  at  what  evi¬ 
dently  was  a  small  camp.  In  the  center  of 
the  band  of  twenty  men  Taylor  beheld  a  half- 
dozen  who  evidently  were  prisoners  like  him¬ 
self.  His  surprise  was  even  greater  than  his 
interest  when  he  beheld  both  Erwin  and  Sam¬ 
uel  in  the  number. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 

The  arrival  of  the  party  apparently 
aroused  but  little  interest  in  the  assembly, 
even  the  prisoners  scarcely  glancing  at  the 
newcomers.  Indeed,  Taylor  had  as  yet  not 
been  seen  by  either  of  his  friends  when  he 
alighted  from  the  horse,  which  his  guard  had 
permitted  him  to  ride  all  the  way  to  the 
camp. 

Proceeding  at  once  to  the  two  boys,  all 
signs  of  his  lameness  having  disappeared, 
Taylor  approached  Erwin,  who  was  seated 
upon  the  ground,  and  touched  his  friend’s 
shoulder.  The  condition  of  Erwin  was  such 
as  to  startle  the  young  soldier.  He  was  so 
thin  that  his  face  appeared  to  be  emaciated. 
His  clothing  was  in  tatters,  and  his  complete 
dejection  was  manifest  in  his  bearing.  Tay¬ 
lor  himself  was  thin  and  worn,  but  his 
friend’s  condition  was  evidently  so  much 
worse  than  his  own  that  for  the  moment  all 

324 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 


325 


his  thoughts  were  centered  upon  Erwin. 

As  Erwin  slowly  turned  his  head  toward 
the  one  who  had  touched  his  shoulder,  his 
eyes  betrayed  no  expression  of  interest  or 
even  of  surprise.  He  gazed  stolidly  at  his 
recent  companion  and  did  not  speak. 

“How  did  you  happen  to  come  here!”  in¬ 
quired  Taylor. 

“The  rebs  brought  me,”  replied  Erwin. 

“Where  did  they  get  you!” 

“I  don’t  know.” 

“Don’t  know!  What  do  you  mean!” 

“I  don’t  know  and  I  don’t  care,”  replied 
Erwin,  dejectedly. 

“How  long  have  you  been  here!” 

Erwin  shook  his  head  and  was  silent. 

Taylor’s  fears  were  aroused  by  the  ex¬ 
haustion  of  his  comrade.  Something  must 
be  done  for  him,  and  at  once,  he  concluded, 
although  what  aid  could  be  secured  was  not 
apparent.  As  Taylor  looked  helplessly  about 
him,  he  saw  Samuel  approaching,  and  in¬ 
stantly  he  turned  to  the  lank  prisoner. 
“Uncle  Sam,  where  were  you  and  Erwin 
caught !  ’  ’ 

“I  don’t  know  anything  about  Erwin.  I 


326  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


hadn’t  seen  him  since  yon  ran  away  from 
me.” 

“I  didn’t  run  away  from  yon.” 

“Yes,  yon  did!” 

‘ 4  Where  !  ’  ’ 

“I  don’t  know  the  name  of  the  place.  It 
was  in  the  road  where  we  saw  the  bush¬ 
whackers.  ’  ’ 

If  Taylor  had  not  been  so  depressed  by  the 
sight  of  Erwin’s  sufferings,  he  would  have 
laughed.  Run  away!  Why,  he  had  waited 
vainly  for  Samuel  to  follow  him.  The  last 
glimpse  he  had  had  of  his  unfortunate  fellow 
townsman  had  been  as  the  latter  was  leaping 
frantically  from  the  road  for  the  shelter  of 
the  adjacent  woods.  And  now  Uncle  Sam 
was  aggrieved  because  his  friend  had  not 
“waited”  for  him. 

“Never  mind  that,  now.  What  can  we  do 
for  Erwin!” 

“Nothing,  I  guess.” 

“But  we  must.  He’s  in  bad  shape.” 

“So  am  I.  I’ve  got  a  blister  on  one  of 
my  feet.  I’m  hungry,  and  I  hate  the  whole 
war!  I  wish  I  was  at  home  or  lived  down 
here.  ’  ’ 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 


327 


“Why  don’t  you  join  the  rebels !” 

“I’ve  been  thinking  of  it.” 

“That’s  right.  A  man  with  no  more  to 
him  than  there  is  to  you  belongs  there.  I’ll 
give  you  a  couple  of  kicks  to  help  you  on.  ’ 7 

Taylor  turned  sharply  away  and  at  once 
sought  one  of  the  soldiers.  1  ‘  Can  you  tell  me 
where  you  found  this  man*?”  he  inquired, 
pointing  to  Erwin  as  he  spoke. 

“I  picked  him  up  myself.  I  found  him 
sick  about  three  miles  from  here  in  old  Rich¬ 
ard’s  cabin.” 

“Why  didn’t  you  leave  him  there!  He’s 
a  sick  man.  ’  ’ 

“We-all  will  attend  to  his  troubles  pretty 
quick,  suli.” 

“What  do  you  mean  by  that!” 

“We’ll  send  him  to  the  hospital.” 

“When  you  reach  camp!” 

“Yaas,  suh.” 

“When  will  that  be!” 

“Right  soon,  I  reckon.” 

“But  the  man  is  sick.  He  can’t  travel,” 
protested  Taylor. 

“He  sho’ly  does  look  lak  he  is  feelin’ 
po’ly.” 


328  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“He’s  starving.” 

“I  reckon  the’  aint  any  o’  us  troubled  with 
high  livin’.  Yo’  wait  right  yere  an’  I’ll  see 
what  I  can  do  fo’  yo’.” 

The  soldier  turned  away  and  in  a  brief 
time  returned  with  a  piece  of  corn  bread  and 
a  single  roasted  sweet  potato  in  his  hands. 
“This  is  th’  best  I  can  do  fo’  yo’,  suh,”  he 
said  quietly,  as  he  offered  Taylor  the  food. 

“Thank  you.  You  are  good  to  us.  Hid 
this  come  out  of  your  own  rations?” 

The  soldier  laughed  good-naturedly,  as  he 
replied,  “Don’t  yo’  trouble  yourself  about 
that.  I  reckon  I  shan’t  have  to  give  up  my 
supper  many  times  to  that  po’  fellow.  He 
won’t  be  livin’  on  co’n  bread  or  anything 
else  much  longer.  ’  ’ 

“What  yo’-all  doin’,  Ed?”  demanded  an 
approaching  soldier  who  had  seen  his  fellow 
soldier’s  generous  act. 

“Nothin’  much,  I  reckon.  Jest  helpin’  th’ 
Yank  t’  a  bit  o’  forage.” 

“You’re  a  fool,  Ed!  I  wouldn’t  give  one 
of  the  bluebellies  a  crumb  if  it  kep’  him  from 
starvin’  t’  death.” 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 


329 


“I  reckon  no  more  yo’  wouldn’t,  John,” 
said  the  first  soldier,  simply. 

“Yo’re  right,  I  wouldn’t!  If  th’  Yanks 
got  what  they  deserved,  they’d  all  be — ” 

“What  you  got  there,  Taylor?”  inter¬ 
rupted  Samuel,  who  at  this  moment  ap¬ 
proached  and  stood  near,  looking  longingly 
at  the  food  in  the  hands  of  his  friend. 

“Something  for  Erwin  to  eat.  This  man 
gave  it  to  me,”  Taylor  added,  as  he  looked 
at  the  Confederate  guard.  “I  hope  he’ll  fare 
as  well  when  he  falls  into  our  hands.” 

“That’s  all  right,  Yank.  I’ll  repo’t  if  I 
ever  gits  wliar  I  need  yore  help.” 

“Yo’-all  bettah  shet  Ed  up  in  an  idiot 
’sylum,  if  he  ever  is  a  prisoner,”  said  the 
second  Confederate,  scornfully. 

Taylor  laughed  good-naturedly,  and  at 
once  retraced  his  way  to  the  place  where  he 
had  left  Erwin.  By  his  side  walked  Samuel, 
silent,  his  eyes  seldom  turned  away  from 
the  food  his  companion  was  carrying. 

“You’re  going  to  go  snucks,  aren’t  you, 
Taylor?”  he  inquired  at  last. 

For  an  instant  Taylor’s  eyes  flashed  om- 


330  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 

inously.  Then,  without  replying  to  the 
query,  he  said, 4 ‘Uncle  Sam,  how  did  the  rebs 
get  you  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  walked  right  into  a  camp  of  five  bush¬ 
whackers/ J 

“Without  suspecting  who  or  what  they 
were  ? ’  ’ 

“I  might  V  suspected,  hut  they  had  some 
chickens  roasting  over  a  fire — ” 

“I  see,”  interrupted  Taylor,  dryly.  “Un¬ 
cle  Sam,  I’ll  give  you  a  piece  of  this  corn 
bread  on  one  condition.” 

“What’s  that!” 

‘  ‘  To-morrow  morning,  or  whenever  we  are 
taken  out  of  this  place,  you  and  I  will  take 
turns  carrying  Erwin  on  our  backs  when  we 
have  to  wade  a  stream.  Erwin  is  played 
out.” 

“So  Tn  I.” 

“You  whine  as  if  you  were  good  for  what 
I’m  asking,  anyway.” 

“I  agree  if  you’ll  agree  to  what  I  propose, 
too.” 

“What  is  that?” 

“That  we  draw  cuts  to  see  whether  you  or 
I’ll  be  the  first.” 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 


331 


“I’ll  do  that,”  said  Taylor,  quickly. 

“Hold  your  horses!  I’m  not  all  done  yet. 
"What  I  propose  is  that  the  one  that  draws 
the  cut  to  carry  Erwin  should  come  back  and 
take  the  other  one  across.  There’s  no  use 
in  both  of  us  getting  wet,  is  there?” 

“Not  a  bit.  I’ll  agree  to  it.  Here’s  your 
corn  bread,  Uncle  Sam,”  said  Taylor,  as  he 
divided  the  bread  and  gave  a  piece  to  his 
companion. 

When  the  two  boys  arrived  at  the  place 
where  Erwin  was  seated,  Taylor  said  ea¬ 
gerly,  “We’ve  been  lucky,  Erwin.  We 
found  a  reb  who  gave  us  some  supper. 
Here’s  yours.  You  must  eat  every  crumb 
of  it.” 

As  Erwin  sat  quickly  erect  and  took  and 
almost  ravenously  began  to  devour  the  food, 
his  friend  smiled  and  nodded  his  head  ap¬ 
provingly.  “You’ll  do.  We’ll  get  you  back 
to  York  State  yet,”  he  said  to  himself.  When 
the  last  crumb  had  been  eaten  by  the  fam¬ 
ished  prisoner,  Taylor  turned  to  Samuel  and 
inquired,  “Got  your  ‘ cuts’  ready?” 

“Yes,”  replied  Samuel,  extending  his  left 
hand,  which  was  tightly  closed,  two  blades 


332  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


of  grass  appearing  between  bis  thumb  and 
forefinger.  “ Which  fit  you  take?” 

“Wait  a  minute.  Is  it  the  long  or  the 
short  that  is  ‘it’?” 

“The  long.” 

“All  right.  Then  I’ll  take  the  short,” 
said  Taylor  promptly,  as  he  drew  forth  one 
of  the  straws.  “Here!  Hold  on!  We 
don’t  do  that,”  he  added  hastily,  as  Samuel 
attempted  to  break  the  straw  remaining  in 
his  hand. 

“I  was  just  fooling,”  said  Samuel,  blandly. 
“You’ve  got  me,  all  right.” 

“I  intend  to  keep  you,  too !”  retorted  Tay¬ 
lor,  sternly. 

“Don’t  you  be  too  sure  o’  that!” 

Taylor  did  not  reply,  because  at  that  mo¬ 
ment  word  was  passed  that  “supper”  had 
been  provided  for  the  prisoners.  It  is  true, 
sweet  potatoes  provided  the  sole  article  of 
food,  but  the  men  were  weary  and  hungry, 
and  all  eagerly  devoured  their  portions,  evjen 
Erwin  joining  in  the  repast  with  as  great  an 
appearance  of  enjoyment  as  when  his  friend 
had  brought  him  food  a  little  while  before. 

It  was  soon  learned  that  the  party  was  to 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 


333 


remain  for  the  night  in  the  place  where  it 
then  was.  Taylor  and  Erwin,  together  with 
the  other  prisoners,  were  taken  to  the  local 
jail,  and  the  two  boys,  at  their  own  request, 
were  assigned  to  one  cell.  Strong  as  was 
Taylor’s  desire  to  talk  to  his  friend,  he  said 
but  little  when  night  fell.  To  his  delight  Er¬ 
win  was  soon  sleeping  soundly.  When  morn¬ 
ing  came  and  roasted  sweet  potatoes  once 
more  were  served,  Erwin  appeared  like  a 
different  boy  from  the  one  of  the  preceding 
night.  Food,  even  of  such  a  quality  as  had 
been  provided,  sleep,  and,  more  than  all,  the 
company  of  Taylor,  had  served  to  revive 
somewhat  the  drooping  spirits  of  the  young 
soldier. 

As  for  Taylor,  he  was  more  firmly  resolved 
than  ever  he  had  been  to  attempt  to  escape. 
The  horrors  of  prison  life  were  too  vivid 
still  for  him  to  be  reconciled  to  the  thought 
of  again  being  shut  up  in  a  pen.  When  at 
last  preparations  for  the  departure  of  the 
band  were  completed,  he  was  rejoiced  when 
he  discovered  that  Erwin,  Samuel  and  him¬ 
self  were  assigned  to  two  men.  Apparently 
it  had  been  deemed  wise  not  to  take  the  half- 


334  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


dozen  prisoners  in  a  body  to  their  destina¬ 
tion,  whatever  that  might  prove  to  be,  but  to 
divide  the  party  into  two  divisions,  assign 
an  armed  guard  of  two  soldiers  to  each,  and 
leave  the  other  men  free  to  continue  their 
search  for  escaped  prisoners,  and  for  de¬ 
serters  from  the  Confederate  army. 

Soon  after  sunrise  the  three  boys  de¬ 
parted.  The  guards  both  marched  behind 
the  prisoners,  directing  them  in  their  course, 
but  otherwise  apparently  in  no  fear  of  at¬ 
tempts  to  escape  being  made.  Each  guard 
was  fully  armed,  carrying  a  carbine  over  his 
shoulder,  and  a  brace  of  pistols  showing 
threateningly  from  their  belts. 

“Here’s  your  place!”  exclaimed  Taylor  to 
Samuel,  as  they  approached  the  ford  in  a 
stream  about  twenty  feet  wide.  “Carry  Er¬ 
win  first,  and  then  come  back  for  me.” 

The  guards  laughed,  as  they  heard  the  de¬ 
mand,  but  neither  made  any  objection  to  the 
proposal. 

“Wait  till  we  come  to  the  next,”  suggested 
Samuel. 

‘  ‘  This  is  the  next.  Take  up  your  load !  ’  ’ 

“That’s  right,  Yank,”  laughed  one  of  the 


CARRYING  A  LOAD 


335 


guard.  “If  yo’-all  make  it  go,  then  we-uns 
’ll  give  yo’  another  load.” 

Apparently  Samuel  was  about  to  refuse, 
but  thinking  better  of  his  action,  stooped 
morosely  and  Erwin  placed  himself  on  the 
back  of  the  tall  young  soldier.  Entering  the 
stream,  Samuel  at  once  carried  his  burden 
to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  stream,  and  then 
called  tauntingly  to  Taylor  to  follow.  It 
was  only  when  the  laughing  guards  threat¬ 
ened  to  throw  him  into  the  water  if  he  did 
not  live  up  to  his  promise,  that  Uncle  Sam 
re-entered  the  stream  and  crossed  to  the  side 
where  Taylor  was  awaiting  him. 

“Now,  be  careful,  Uncle  Sam,”  remarked 
Taylor,  when  he  was  on  his  companion’s 
back  in  midstream.  ‘ 1  Go  slow !  Hi  there !  ’  ’ 
he  added  as  his  carrier  stumbled  and  almost 
fell. 

However,  Samuel  at  last  deposited  his  bur¬ 
den  safely,  and  the  advance  was  at  once  re¬ 
sumed.  Taylor’s  chagrin  was  as  great  as 
Samuel’s  elation,  when  they  soon  approached 
a  second  ford. 

“My  turn  now!”  Samuel  shouted,  as  he 
threw  his  arms  about  Taylor’s  neck. 


336  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Not  much,  it  isn’t !”  retorted  Taylor,  as 
lie  flung  his  burden  aside.  “You  will  wait 
till  I  have  taken  Erwin  across.” 

In  spite  of  Samuel’s  rage,  his  companion 
was  first  taken.  Then  without  a  word,  Tay¬ 
lor  returned,  took  the  long,  lank  Samuel  on 
his  back,  advanced  into  the  stream,  and 
when  he  was  half-way  across,  deliberately 
sat  down,  despite  the  angry  shouts  of  pro¬ 
test  from  his  passenger. 


CHAPTER  XXYII 


THE  JAIL 

Letting  go  liis  grasp  on  Taylor’s  neck, 
with  a  splash  Samuel  fell  into  the  water. 
Instantly  darting  forward  to  the  bank,  Tay¬ 
lor  halted  there  and  called  to  his  luckless 
comrade,  “You  dropped  something,  Uncle 
Sam !  ’  ’ 

Sputtering,  splashing,  apparently  unable 
to  regain  a  foothold,  the  luckless  victim  be¬ 
stowed  a  glance  of  anger  upon  his  tormentor, 
hut  did  not  speak. 

“Come  here,  Uncle  Sam,  and  I’ll  pick  you 
up,”  called  Taylor,  banteringly. 

Both  guards  laughed  loudly  at  the  discom¬ 
fiture  of  their  lank  prisoner,  and  even  Er¬ 
win  joined,  the  first  time  in  many  days  that 
he  had  betrayed  any  signs  of  mirth. 

At  last  Samuel  came  stumbling  to  the 
shore,  and,  almost  beside  himself  with  rage, 
rushed  upon  Taylor.  The  derisive  calls  of 
the  guards  increased  the  dripping  prisoner’s 

337 


338  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


anger.  “I’ll  show  you!”  lie  shouted.  “That 
was  a  mean  trick.  I’m  wet — ” 

“I’m  sorry,”  broke  in  Taylor.  “I  had  no 
idea  that  water  was  wet.  It  isn’t  like — ” 

By  this  time  Samuel  was  close  upon  him, 
and  stepping  hastily  to  one  side,  Taylor 
flung  his  arms  about  his  angry  comrade  and 
held  him  tightly.  “Now,  Uncle  Sam,”  he 
said,  soothingly,  “be  reasonable.  I  didn’t 
want  to  do  what  I  did.  In  the  language  of 
our  ancestors,  ‘It  hurt  me  more  than  it  did 
you.’  I  was  thinking  only  of  your  good. 
You  had  not  learned  the  lesson  we  all  have 
to  learn,  and  that  is,  that  every  one  must 
bear  his  own  burden.  You  did  not  seem  to 
take  kindly  to  the  part  you  agreed  to  take. 
I  feel  it  to  be  my  duty  to  impress  the  needed 
lesson.  Besides,  Uncle  Sam,  it  will  be  your 
turn  next  time,  and  if  you  want  to,  you  can 
douse  me  then.  Will  you  be  good!” 

As  Samuel  had  ceased  to  struggle,  and  his 
resistance  apparently  was  at  an  end,  Taylor 
released  him  and  turned  at  once  to  his  guard. 

“I  think  we  are  all  ready  now.  Thank 
you  for  your  kindness  in  waiting.” 

The  laughter  of  the  two  soldiers  was  re- 


THE  JAIL 


339 


newed,  and  a  deeper  scowl  appeared  on  the 
face  of  the  angry  Samuel,  but  otherwise  no 
results  of  the  “discipline”  were  apparent. 

When  another  hour  had  elapsed,  Erwin’s 
weariness  became  so  marked  that  his  friend 
begged  their  attendants  to  stop  for  the  night. 
The  request,  however,  was  unheeded,  and  the 
little  party  proceeded  on  its  way,  Taylor  fre¬ 
quently  being  compelled  to  assist  his  well- 
nigh  exhausted  companion.  Uncle  Sam  had 
not  spoken  since  his  mishap.  He  was  morose, 
and  evidently  still  angry,  and  kept  to  himself 
all  the  way. 

Taylor  was  still  watchful  of  an  opportu¬ 
nity  to  escape  the  vigilance  of  the  soldiers. 
The  men  were  not  ill-disposed,  but  their  vig¬ 
ilance  was  unrelaxed.  The  direction  in 
which  the  little  band  was  moving  was  still 
southward,  and  what  their  destination  was 
to  be  Taylor  was  satisfied  he  well  knew. 

They  were  passing  through  a  long  stretch 
of  woods  now.  Very  few  people  had  been 
met  on  the  way,  and  the  plantations  ap¬ 
parently  were  for  the  greater  part  neglected 
or  abandoned.  Doubtless  the  nearness  of  the 
armies,  Taylor  concluded,  had  caused  many 


340  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


of  the  people  that  dwelt  in  the  region,  to 
seek  safety  in  the  nearest  cities. 

Suddenly  one  of  the  guards  raised  his  car¬ 
bine  and  fired.  The  shot  was  startling  to 
the  prisoners,  not  one  of  whom  had  discov¬ 
ered  any  danger  on  the  way. 

‘ ‘I  got  him!”  shouted  the  soldier.  “Look 
out  for  the  men,  Jim,”  he  added,  as  he 
dashed  into  the  woods. 

Still  the  source  of  the  man’s  excitement 
could  not  be  seen.  Erwin  was  trembling  in 
his  weakness,  and  crept  close  to  his  friend’s 
side.  In  a  brief  time  the  soldier  returned 
and,  flinging  a  black  squirrel  upon  the 
ground  at  the  feet  of  his  comrade,  said,  “I 
reckon  we-all  had  better  stop  fo’  supper, 
Jim.” 

The  second  soldier  hesitated.  “We-uns 
ought  t ’  be  thar  by  midnight.  ’ 9 

“We’ll  make  it,  suh.  We’ll  do  better  if 
we-uns  first  have  a  bite.” 

The  protests  ceased  and  preparations  for 
a  fire  were  at  once  made.  In  this  task  Tay¬ 
lor  assisted,  and  in  a  brief  time  the  squirrel 
was  being  roasted.  The  savory  odor  was 
tempting  and  tantalizing.  Taylor’s  heart 


THE  JAIL 


341 


was  heavy,  as  he  watched  the  hunger  ex¬ 
pressed  in  Erwin’s  eyes.  He  himself,  how¬ 
ever,  was  thinking  of  other  things.  The  de¬ 
termination  to  escape  was  now  so  strong  as 
to  be  almost  overpowering.  Had  he  been  the 
only  prisoner,  he  would  have  leaped  upon  the 
guard  left  in  charge  when  his  companion  had 
darted  into  the  woods  in  search  of  the  squir¬ 
rel  he  had  shot.  The  desperate  project  ap¬ 
peared  to  be  strongly  attractive.  The  peril 
was  not  to  he  considered  in  comparison  with 
the  meaning  of  success.  The  project  had 
been  abandoned,  however,  because  of  Er¬ 
win’s  manifest  weakness.  He  could  not,  he 
would  not  abandon  his  friend  in  such  a  time. 
The  thoughts  of  possible  means  of  escape, 
however,  in  all  of  which  Erwin  was  included, 
were  still  foremost  in  Taylor’s  mind,  as  he 
assisted  in  the  preparation  of  the  squirrel. 
It  was  not  probable  that  the  prisoners  would 
be  given  any  share  in  the  repast,  although 
Taylor  was  not  entirely  without  hope.  If 
a  bit  of  the  meat  should  be  given  him,  he  was 
planning  to  give  it  all  to  Erwin.  His 
friend’s  strength  now  was  the  most  impor¬ 
tant  of  all  the  problems  to  be  faced. 


342  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


At  last  the  browned  and  roasted  squirrel 
was  taken  from  the  spit,  and  the  two  sol¬ 
diers  prepared  to  divide  it.  Some  corn 
bread  and  roasted  corn  which  they  had 
brought  with  them  were  placed  on  a  log 
nearby,  and  then  one  of  the  men  took  his 
knife  and  divided  the  squirrel  into  two  por¬ 
tions. 

“Jim,  let’s  share  with  th’  Yanks,”  sug¬ 
gested  the  younger  of  the  two  soldiers. 

“Co’n  bread  is  good  enough  fo’  the  blue- 
bellies,”  growled  Jim. 

“Yaas,  suh.  I  reck’n  that’s  so;  but  I’m 
so  doggoned  tired  o’  the  whole  wa’  I  don’t 
keer  much  if  I  don’t  live  toe  git  back  t’ 
camp.  I  reck’n  we-uns  mought  as  well  be 
good.” 

His  companion  hesitated  a  moment,  and 
then  said,  sulkily,  “We-uns  will  take  half  an’ 
let  th’  Yanks  have  th’  other  half.” 

“That’s  right,”  said  Samuel,  at  once  ad¬ 
vancing  and  seizing  one  of  the  halves  before 
anyone  could  protest. 

“Let  me  take  your  gun  a  minute,”  said 
Taylor,  hastily,  to  one  of  the  guards. 

“I  was  goin’  to  divide  it,”  exclaimed  Sam- 


THE  JAIL 


343 


uel  quickly,  before  the  man  could  respond. 

“I’ll  do  tlie  dividing,”  said  Taylor  quietly, 
as  he  held  out  his  hand  for  the  half  portion 
of  the  squirrel. 

Uncle  Sam  hesitated  an  instant,  and  then, 
without  a  word,  gave  the  meat  to  Taylor. 
The  latter  at  once  cut  off  the  tail,  which  he 
handed  back  to  Samuel.  “There!  Your 
thoughtfulness  and  generosity  shall  be  re¬ 
warded.” 

“Give  me  my  share,”  shouted 'Samuel. 

“Softly,  my  friend.  I  am  not  deaf.  The 
voice  is  one  of  the  surest  methods  of  finding 
out  the  physical  condition  of  a  man.  If  I 
can  judge  from  the  sound  of  your’s,  Uncle 
Sam,  I  think  you  will  live  to  the  age  of  eighty- 
nine  years,  ten  months  and  thirty  days. 
That  being  the  case,  I  was  about  to  suggest 
that  you  and  I  dine  upon  the  bread  and 
roasted  corn,  and  give  this  meat  to  our 
friend  Erwin,  who  is  far  from  being  in  as 
good  condition  as  you  or  I.” 

“I  want  my  share,”  declared  Samuel, 
though  his  voice  was  lower  now. 

“He  is  going  to  have  it,  as  far  as  I  am  con¬ 
cerned,”  said  Erwin  quickly.  “And  you 


344  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


will  take  yours,  too,  Taylor,  or  I  sha’n’t 
have  mine.” 

“Just  as  you  say,”  laughed  Taylor,  who 
for  reasons  of  his  own  did  not  care  to  pro¬ 
long  the  conversation. 

A  half-hour  later,  when  the  march  was  re¬ 
sumed,  it  was  evident  that  Erwin  was  greatly 
refreshed  by  the  repast,  and  Taylor’s  hopes 
of  being  able  to  discover  some  means  of  es¬ 
cape  returned.  Samuel,  still  glum,  had  noth¬ 
ing  to  say  to  his  companions,  a  course  which 
met  Taylor’s  warm  commendation.  He  had 
already  decided  that  Uncle  Sam’s  company 
could  not  be  endured.  The  plight  of  Erwin, 
the  sight  of  whose  emaciated  body  and  color¬ 
less  face  strongly  moved  his  friend,  was  so 
great  that  success  must  not  be  imperiled  by 
the  presence  of  Samuel,  who  was  certain  to 
make  trouble  wherever  he  was. 

But  the  guards  were  both  alert,  and  when, 
late  in  the  evening,  the  party  arrived  at  a 
small  town  and  the  three  prisoners  were  con¬ 
fined  within  the  walls  of  the  jail  there, 
not  an  opportunity  to  escape  had  even  sug¬ 
gested  itself. 

Utterly  wearied  by  the  long  march,  the 


THE  JAIL 


345 


boys  ate  the  scanty  food  which  was  brought 
them,  and  then  flinging  themselves  upon  the 
brick  floor,  were  soon  asleep. 

In  the  morning,  when  the  boys  were  in¬ 
formed  that  they  were  to  remain  where  they 
then  were  until  further  orders  had  been  re¬ 
ceived,  at  first  Taylor  was  disappointed. 
They  were  to  be  conducted,  as  he  supposed, 
to  the  Confederate  lines,  and  every  day  the 
difficulty  of  escaping  would  naturally  be  in¬ 
creased.  However,  when  he  thought  what 
the  rest  would  do  for  his  friend,  he  was  more 
content,  and  striving  to  meet  the  conditions 
with  the  best  possible  grace,  he  was  thinking 
of  the  means  he  might  employ  to  aid  him. 

In  response  to  his  request,  permission  was 
granted  for  the  boys  to  spend  a  part  of  the 
day  in  the  open  court  adjoining  the  jail.  A 
high  wall  of  brick  had  been  built  around 
three  sides  of  this  open  place,  the  fourth  side 
being  protected  by  a  fence  of  high  palings. 

Not  long  after  the  prisoners  had  been 
granted  this  freedom,  the  straggling  people 
of  the  vicinity  began  to  gather  in  front  of  the 
fence  and  gaze  with  manifest  curiosity  at  the 
boys. 


346  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“I  guess  they  thought  all  the  Yanks  had 
horns/  ’  suggested  Taylor  demurely,  as  he 
watched  the  assembly.  Children,  old  men 
and  women  were  solemnly  peering  at  the  men 
before  them,  seldom  speaking  and  as  seldom 
turning  away  their  eyes. 

“Listen  to  me,”  suggested  Taylor  a  few 
moments  later,  as  he  arose  and  approached 
the  fence — an  action  which  caused  some  of 
the  children  to  draw  back  in  manifest  alarm. 

“Good  morning/ ’  called  Taylor,  pleas¬ 
antly  addressing  an  old  man  in  the  assembly. 

“Mawnin’,  suh,”  replied  the  old  man  sol¬ 
emnly.  The  curiosity  of  the  assembly  in¬ 
creased  and  drew  those  who  had  retreated 
back  to  a  place  where  the  conversation  might 
be  heard. 

“Any  place  near  here  where  we  might  get 
a  little  milk?” 

“I  dunno.” 

“Where  is  milk  kept?” 

“I  reck’n  mos’ly  in  the  cows.” 

“Surely.  I  wonder  why  I  hadn’t  thought 
of  that  before,”  laughed  Taylor.  “Might  I 
inquire  where  the  cows  are  kept?” 

“The’  aint  kep’,  stranger.” 


THE  JAIL 


347 


“Why  not?” 

“They  has  mos’ly  been  taken.  TIP  Yanks 
took  some,  an’  what  they  didn’t  take,  the 
Confed ’rates  took.  They’re  gone  anyway.” 

“Can  we  get  anything  to  eat  here!” 

“I  reck’n  yo’  can.” 

“Even  if  we  can’t  pay  for  it — now?” 

The  old  man  made  no  reply.  Turning  to  a 
lad  near  him  he  said,  “Run  home,  boy,  an’ 
bring  some  o  ’  the  co  ’n  bread  yo  ’  maw  baked 
this  mo’nin’.” 

The  boy  departed,  but  without  displaying 
any  propensity  to  “run.” 

Corn  bread!  Apparently  it  was  the  chief 
if  not  the  sole  article  of  food  among  the  poor 
people  of  the  region.  Not  alone  the  armies 
suffered  in  the  struggle,  thought  Taylor.  Pri¬ 
vation  was  apparent  in  every  face  before 
him.  And  no  young  men  and  only  a  few  boys 
to  be  seen  in  the  curious  assemblage!  In 
spite  of  his  own  sufferings  and  disappoint¬ 
ments,  Taylor  appreciated  now,  as  he  never 
had  before,  the  meaning  of  the  war. 

In  a  brief  time  the  “co’n”  bread  was 
brought,  but  instead  of  being  able  to  add  it 
to  their  supplies,  as  Taylor  had  hoped,  he 


348  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


soon  learned  that  it  was  to  take  the  place 
of  the  food  which  the  guard  might  provide. 

Striving  to  keep  up  the  spirits  of  Erwin, 
who  slept  a  part  of  the  day,  and  ignoring 
Samuel,  who  still  kept  to  himself,  Taylor,  as 
night  drew  nigh,  when  most  of  the  curious 
people  had  departed,  suddenly  thought  of  a 
plan  which  he  at  once  prepared  to  test. 

At  his  request  one  of  the  girls  in  the  as¬ 
sembly  secured  for  him  a  sheet  of  paper  and 
a  yellow  envelope.  A  lead  pencil  was  more 
difficult  to  obtain,  but  at  last  that,  too,  was 
found.  Provided  with  these,  Taylor  with¬ 
drew  to  a  corner  of  the  court  and  there,  seat¬ 
ing  himself  on  the  ground,  at  once  began  to 
write. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 


AN  ENLARGED  FORCE 

Ignoring  the  curiosity  of  Samuel,  who  at 
once  approached  and  gazed  in  manifest  in¬ 
terest  at  his  companion,  Taylor  soon  wrote 
his  letter  and  sealed  it  in  the  yellow  envelope. 
What  he  had  written  was  as  follows : 

Somewhere  in  the  Land  of  Cotton, 

Sometime  in  the  Winter. 
“My  dear  Miss  Sallie:  • 

“Recalling  your  urgent  request  for  me  to 
drop  you  a  line,  I  am  availing  myself  of  a 
few  moments  of  leisure  to  fulfill  my  promise. 
I  regret  exceedingly  that  I  was  unable,  when 
I  departed  from  your  house,  to  respond  to 
your  cordial  invitation  to  remain  longer.  I 
fully  appreciated  your  efforts  to  induce  the 
negroes  to  persuade  me  to  remain,  but  it  was 
impossible,  at  the  moment,  to  comply.  The 
loan  of  your  brother’s  horse,  I  am  sure,  was 
very  kind  on  your  part.  I  returned  the  horse 
on  the  following  morning.  Your  brother  is 
a  fine  man.  We  had  a  very  warm  interview 
when  we  met.  I  was  reluctant  to  proceed 

349 


350  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


without  him,  but  he  selected  several  of  his 
best  friends  to  go  with  me,  so  I  have  not  been 
lonesome  at  any  time.  In  fact,  I  am  very 
much  taken  by  the  people  of  the  South.  How 
hospitable  they  are!  They  are  so  cordial 
that  they  are  not  willing  to  have  me  out  of 
their  sight.  I  have  not  changed  my  colors, 
but  I  think  it  is  quite  likely  I  shall  go  to  the 
camp  of  General  Wheeler,  whose  cavalrymen, 
I  understand,  are  not  far  from  this  place. 

“I  hope  you  will  appreciate  my  inability  to 
depart  from  the  Southland.  I  confess  there 
are  moments  when  I  feel  homesick,  and  long 
to  see  my  family  and  friends  of  the  North, 
but  the  ties  that  bind  me  here  are  even 
stronger.  I  simply  can’t  tear  myself  away. 

4 ‘  What  I  want  most  of  all,  if  this  letter 
finally  reaches  you,  is  for  you  to  tell  Captain 
Hitt  to  look  me  up  if  he  chances  to  be  in 
Wheeler’s  camp — that  is,  if  Sherman  leaves 
any  camp,  and  there  is  anything  left  of 
Wheeler.  I  have  something  very  important 
to  say  to  your  brother,  and  I  promise  you  I 
will  treat  him  gently.  Don’t  forget  either 
that  or  the  hated  Yankee  who  was  a  guest  in 
your  delightful  home. 

“Taylor  Cooper.” 

When  this  letter  had  been  written,  and  the 
envelope  directed — though  the  young  soldier 


AN  ENLARGED  FORCE  351 


was  by  no  means  certain  the  directions  were 
accurate — the  promise  of  the  guard  was  ob¬ 
tained  that  he  would  do  his  utmost  to  see 
that  it  was  forwarded. 

Two  days  the  prisoners  were  held  in  the 
little  jail,  and  then  when  a  dozen  more  un¬ 
fortunates  were  brought  to  the  same  place, 
the  entire  band,  early  the  following  morning, 
was  ordered  to  proceed  under  a  guard  of 
four  men. 

From  the  conversation  of  the  soldiers  and 
the  people,  Taylor  had  become  convinced  that 
the  Confederate  General  Wheeler  was  not 
far  away.  The  affection  for,  and  confidence 
in  the  daring,  dashing  little  leader  of  the 
Confederate  cavalry  were  so  marked  that 
even  the  young  prisoners  almost  shared  in 
the  prevailing  feeling.  The  thought,  how¬ 
ever,  that  the  cavalry  was  in  the  rear  of 
Sherman’s  army  was  what  most  cheered 
Taylor,  who  was  determined  to  escape  and 
find  a  way  into  the  ranks  of  his  near-by  com¬ 
rades,  if  escape  was  in  anywise  possible. 

Repeatedly  he  had  talked  with  Erwin  dur¬ 
ing  the  two  days,  and  to  Taylor’s  delight  his 
friend  now  apparently  was  almost  as  eager 


352  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


as  lie  to  make  the  attempt.  The  rest  had 
done  great  things  for  Erwin,  who  had  slept 
much  of  the  time,  and  the  food,  though 
coarse  and  uninviting,  had  been  ample  for  the 
needs  of  the  three  prisoners. 

Early  in  the  morning,  the  fifteen  men,  most 
of  whom  were  pale  and  emaciated,  were 
formed  in  line,  and,  with  four  soldiers  as  a 
guard  in  command  of  a  sergeant,  the  band 
started  southward.  Halts  were  occasion¬ 
ally  made,  but  the  prisoners  had  been  in¬ 
formed  at  the  start  that  twenty-five  miles 
were  to  be  covered  that  day. 

When  night  fell  it  was  not  known  whether 
or  not  the  requisite  number  of  miles  had  been 
covered,  but  the  prisoners  were  so  wearied  by 
their  long  march  that,  with  the  exception  of 
Taylor,  every  one  was  asleep  as  soon  as  the 
opportunity  was  granted.  For  a  long  time 
Taylor  remained  awake,  more  determined 
than  ever  to  find  some  way  out  of  his  diffi¬ 
culties.  His  last  hope  was  centered  upon 
Captain  Hitt,  though  the  young  soldier  fully 
understood  how  remote  were  the  chances, 
either  of  Miss  Sallie  receiving  the  letter 
he  had  written  her,  or  of  her  brother  paying 


AN  ENLARGED  FORCE  353 


any  attention  to  the  request  he  had  made  in 
case  he  was  carried  into  the  Confederate 
camp. 

The  sergeant  in  charge  of  the  band  of  pris¬ 
oners  was  a  dull-witted  fellow,  faithful  in  his 
efforts  to  follow  the  directions  given  him  by 
his  fellow  officers,  and  plainly  one  who  was 
not  to  be  easily  turned  aside.  Taylor  had 
been  observing  him  much  of  the  time  on  the 
march,  desirous  of  learning  what  his  weak 
points  were.  Every  one  of  the  guard  was 
heavily  armed  and  plainly  much  reliance  was 
placed  upon  this  fact  as  well  as  upon  the 
weakness  of  the  prisoners  themselves,  as  a 
prevention  of  escape. 

The  two  days  that  followed  were  not  un¬ 
like  the  first  except  that  the  weakened  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  prisoners  prevented  as  long  a 
march.  On  the  third  day  it  was  known  that 
the  Georgia  line  had  been  crossed,  and  Tay¬ 
lor  was  becoming  almost  desperate.  The 
vigilance  of  the  guard  had  not  once  been 
relaxed.  To  escape  had  been  impossible. 

As  a  method  of  aiding  him  in  his  ultimate 
plan  Taylor  had  been  among  the  most  docile 
of  the  prisoners.  Quick  to  heed  every  de- 


354  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


mand,  laughing  when  others  were  groaning 
or  complaining,  he  had  steadily  endeavored 
to  banish  any  suspicion  that  might  have 
arisen  concerning  him.  And  in  a  measure 
he  had  been  successful,  or  so  he  believed. 
The  sergeant  frequently  had  marched  beside 
him,  and  on  occasions  even  entered  into  con¬ 
versation  with  him. 

On  the  fourth  day  a  brief  stop  4had  been 
made  at  a  humble  abode  near  one  of  the 
many  swamps  that  were  passed  on  the  march. 
The  sergeant  had  gone  to  the  house  in  a  vain 
attempt  to  secure  food.  When  he  had  re¬ 
taken  his  place  beside  Taylor,  he  said  drawl- 
ingly,  “We-uns  are  a  bearin’  erbout  th’ 
doin’s  of  Sherman’s  men.  This  woman 
back  yere  ’pears  t’  be  of  th’  ’pinion  it  doesn’t 
make  a  heap  o’  dif’rence  whether  it’s  a 
Johnnie  or  a  Yank  that  happens  erlong.  If 
the’s  anything  on  the  place  she  says  that 
it’s  gone  when  the  men  leave.  This  yere 
woman  let  on  that  ‘Mr.  Wheeler  an’  his 
critter  company  drove  inter  my  back  yard 
t’other  day,  tipped  my  ash-hopper  over,  an’ 
drawed  out  two  streaks  of  light  half  a  mile 
long,  with  his  wagon  guns  on  the  ends  of  ’em 


AN  ENLARGED  FORCE  355 


— an’  when  he  went  away  he  never  paid  me 
nary  cent.  I  allers  thought  yo’-uns  was  a 
decenter  set  o’  men;  but  the  Yanks  tlieir- 
selves  is  no  wusser.  Now  ef  yo’-uns  don’t  go 
’long  an  leave  us  what  little  we’ve  got,  we’ll 
shorely  perish.’  I  felt  for  the  woman,” 
added  the  guard. 

“Of  course  you  did,”  said  Taylor  cor¬ 
dially.  “I  guess  either  army  doesn’t  al¬ 
ways  stop  to  apologize  when  it  finds  ra¬ 
tions.”  • 

“I  reck’n  yo’re  right.  We’ll  make  Syl- 
vany  t ’night.” 

“Is  that  so!”  exclaimed  Taylor  quickly. 

“Yaas,  suh.  Tlie’ll  be  a  round-up  tliar, 
I  reckon.  I’ll  be  ’mighty  glad  to  turn  yo’- 
uns  over  toe  the  proper  authorities.” 

“We  haven’t  given  you  any  trouble,”  Tay¬ 
lor  suggested. 

•  “No  mo’  yo’  haven’t,  suh.  But  I’ll  be 
glad  toe  be  shet  on  you.” 

“How  far  is  Sylvania  from  General 
Wheeler’s  army!” 

“Caint  say,  suh.” 

“I  suppose  the  army  shifts  often — to 
keep  away  from  Sherman!” 


356  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Mouglit  be.” 

“Have  you  beard  how  far  away  Sher¬ 
man  is!” 

“No,  suh.’ 

“He  can’t  be  very  far  if  Wheeler  is  hang¬ 
ing  onto  the  rear  of  the  army.  ’ ’ 

“Like’  enough.” 

4  ‘  Have  you  ever  been  in  Sylvania ! 9  9 

“I  have,  suh.” 

“How  large  a  place  is  it!” 

“It’s  a  right  sma’t  little  town.” 

“Thousand  people  there!” 

“I  caint  say  as  ter  thet.” 

“Is  it  an  important  place!” 

“I  reck’n  it  is  toe  th’  people  what  live 
thar.  Th’  armies  haven’t  stopped  there 
much  an’  the  consequence  is  th’  isn’t  a  place 
in  tli’  whole  o’  Georgia  whar  the’s  less 
known  about  th’  wa\  What  yo’-all  want  ter 
know  so  much  ’bout  Sylvany  fo’!” 

“I  don’t  know,”  laughed  Taylor,  at  once 
reminded  that  perhaps  he  was  displaying  too 
much  interest. 

“Yo’-all  is  pow’ful  fond  o’  askin’  ques¬ 
tions.  I’ve  seen  a  good  many  Yanks  in  my 
time,  an’  they’re  mos’ly  all  alike.  They  can 


AN  ENLARGED  FORCE 


357 


ask  mo  ’  questions  than —  Hi !  I  reckon  we- 
uns  are  right  close  V  th’  place  we’re  seekin’. 
That’s  Sylvany!”  indicated  the  sergeant  as 
he  at  once  departed  from  Taylor’s  side  and 
advanced  to  the  head  of  the  line. 

The  arrival  in  the  little  straggling  town 
was  heralded  after  the  same  manner  the  ap¬ 
proach  to  other  villages  had  been.  A  motley 
assembly  of  children,  women,  old  men  and 
negroes  solemnly  watched  the  “Yankees” 
when  the  prisoners  had  been  conducted  to  a 
large  unoccupied  house  near  the  main  street. 
The  curiosity  of  the  assembled  people  soon 
became  more  manifest  than  had  been  shown 
in  other  places.  Remarks  were  made  ex¬ 
pressive  of  the  impressions  received  and 
many  began  to  ply  the  guard  with  ques¬ 
tions — a  proceeding  that  Taylor  observed 
with  increasing  satisfaction.  If  the  soldiers 
were  busied  with  the  people  in  the  crowd, 
then  there  would  naturally  be  less  vigilance 
in  guarding  the  prisoners.  And  Taylor  was 
determined  to  make  an  attempt  to  get  away 
that  very  night. 

In  front  of  the  rambling  old  house  a  wide 
piazza  extended  the  entire  length  of  the 


358  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


building.  As  darkness  drew  on,  the  prison¬ 
ers  all  were  assembled  on  this  piazza,  while 
in  front,  in  the  form  of  a  semicircle,  the  sen¬ 
tinels  were  stationed.  Apparently  the  num¬ 
bers  in  the  assembly  of  the  natives  increased, 
as  did  also  their  questions  and  the  replies 
of  the  soldiers  on  guard.  Taylor  was  mind¬ 
ful  of  all  that  was  occurring  before  him, 
though  as  yet  he  had  not  spoken  to  Erwin, 
nor  had  he  any  definite  plan  in  his  own  mind. 
He  was  simply  waiting  and  watching  for  an 
opportunity. 

At  last  he  arose  from  the  place  where  he 
had  been  seated  and  approaching  Erwin, 
touched  him  quietly  on  his  arm,  and  nodded 
his  head  toward  the  farther  end  of  the  pi¬ 
azza.  Erwin  quickly  arose  and  followed  his 
friend.  As  some  of  the  prisoners  were  mov¬ 
ing  wearily  about  the  place,  the  action  of 
the  boys  did  not  arouse  any  suspicion  on  the 
part  of  the  sentinels. 

“We  must  try  to-night,  Erwin,”  said  Tay¬ 
lor,  in  a  low  voice. 

“I’m  afraid  I’m  not  fit  to  try  anything. 
I’m  so  weak  I  don’t  believe  I  can  walk  a 


AN  ENLARGED  FORCE 


359 


mile.  I  haven’t  any  shoes,  and  my  feet — ” 

“The  guard  isn’t  very  hilarious  either, 
after  our  march  to-day,”  interrupted  Taylor. 
“Don’t  forget  that.” 

“You  try  it.  Never  mind  me.” 

“I  don’t  know  yet  what  we’ll  do,”  con¬ 
tinued  Taylor,  ignoring  the  suggestion. 
“We  are  not  far  from  the  rebels,  and  that 
means  we’re  not  far  from  our  men  either,  if 
what  we  hear  is  true — and  I  think  it  is. 
Keep  watch  of  me  and  be  ready  when  I —  ’  ’ 

Taylor  stopped  abruptly,  as  the  sergeant 
approached  the  place  where  the  boys  were 
standing.  “My  foragers  have  just  come 
in,”  he  said,  “and  I’m  giving  you  a  word 
in  advance,  suh.  The  co’n  bread  we  all  are 
agoin’  toe  keep  fo’  ourselves,  but  th’  sweet 
potatoes  yo’  are  free  to  help  yo ’selves  toe.” 

“Where  are  they?” 

“Right  yere,  suh,”  and  the  sergeant 
pointed  to  some  baskets  in  the  yard,  part  of 
which  were  filled  with  sweet  potatoes,  and 
part  with  the  corn  bread. 

“Thank  you,  sergeant,”  replied  Taylor. 
“May  I  ask  a  question?” 


360  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Yaas,  suh.  Sulit’nly,  suh.” 

“Why  can’t  we  have  a  fire  in  the  yard 
and  roast  the  potatoes  there  V9 

“I  reck’n  yo’  c’n,”  replied  the  sergeant 
hesitatingly.  “It’s  time  yo’  all  were  shet 
in  the  house — ” 

“But  we  can’t  roast  our  potatoes  in  the 
house,”  said  Taylor.  “Your  guard  can 
watch  us  out  here  just  as  well.” 

“Yaas,  suh.  I  reck’n  they  can.  I  done 
tole  yo’  first  off  so’t  yo’  can  be  on  hand 
when  the  rush  is  made.  Stay  right  whar  yo  ’ 
be,  suh.” 

“Thank  you!  Thank  you!”  responded 
Taylor,  as  the  sergeant  moved  to  the  front 
of  the  house  and  made  his  announcement  to 
the  prisoners. 

4  4  This  is  our  chance !  ’  ’  whispered  Taylor  to 
Erwin.  4 4 1  know  just  what  we’ll  do !  Come 
on.  Follow  me!” 


CHAPTER  XXIX 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 

Running  swiftly  to  the  end  of  the  porch 
where  the  corn  bread  for  the  soldiers  had 
been  placed,  Taylor  hastily  filled  his  pockets. 
The  dim  light  and  the  eagerness  with  which 
the  hungry  prisoners  were  listening  to  the 
words  of  the  sergeant  greatly  aided  Taylor 
in  his  efforts  to  secure  food. 

Returning  quickly  to  Erwin,  who  had  not 
even  attempted  to  follow  his  friend,  Taylor 
again  whispered,  “Come  now!  You  must 
come,  Erwin!  This  is  our  chance.” 

Joining  their  fellow  prisoners,  some  of 
whom  already  were  pressing  their  way  in  the 
crowd  toward  the  sweet  potatoes,  both  boys 
soon  secured  what  their  dilapidated  pockets 
would  hold,  and  then  Erwin  followed  as  his 
friend,  instead  of  returning  to  the  front 
yard,  at  once  darted  toward  the  bushes  in 
the  rear.  The  main  guard  was  stationed  in 
front  of  the  house,  either  in  the  yard  or  on 

361 


362  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  sidewalk.  For  the  most  part  the  pris¬ 
oners  were  kept  within  the  house  itself,  or 
else  granted  the  freedom  of  the  yard  in  front. 
Because  of  this  fact,  Taylor,  in  his  investi¬ 
gations,  had  not  been  able  to  discover  any 
guard  in  the  rear,  and  for  this  reason  he  was 
resolved  to  make  his  attempt  to  get  away 
there.  He  was  trusting  also  in  the  some¬ 
what  careless  or  easy-going  ways  of  the 
sergeant,  who  had  frequently  entered  into 
conversation  with  his  prisoners  and  was  dis¬ 
posed  to  be  more  lenient  than  any  whom 
Taylor  had  as  yet  found. 

The  two  boys  had  barely  entered  the 
bushes  when  they  were  startled  by  the  voice 
of  the  sergeant:  “ Doggone!  Those  Yanks 
have  taken  th’  co’n  bread,”  he  shouted. 
“Whar’  be  they?”  A  hasty  search  re¬ 
vealed  the  absence  of  both  Taylor  and  Er¬ 
win,  although  both  were  still  in  the  yard 
crouching  behind  the  thick  bushes. 

“They’ve  gone!”  shouted  the  guard  once 
more.  “They’ve  gone,  o’  course,  by  th’ 
Springfield  road.  Heah,  yo’  Simon!”  he 
called  to  someone  whom  neither  of  the  boys 
could  see,  “Yo’  go  up  t’  the  major’s  and 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED  363 

bring  out  th’  dogs.  We’ll  have  th’  Yanks 
back  yere  befo’  yo’  can  wink  yo’  eye!” 

The  departure  of  Simon,  though  neither 
of  the  crouching  boys  knew  whether  the  mes¬ 
senger  was  a  black  man  or  white,  was  the 
signal  for  confusion  among  the  prisoners. 
So  marked  was  the  excitement  that  the 
sergeant  speedily  gave  orders  for  all  to  be 
driven  within  the  house  and  the  guard  was 
increased.  What  the  sergeant’s  feelings 
would  have  been  had  he  known  that  the  two 
missing  men  were  still  within  the  yard  the 
boys  could  only  conjecture. 

‘ 4 Come  on,  Erwin,”  whispered  Taylor  to 
his  companion.  “It’s  time  we  made  a  start 
anyway.  Be  careful.  ’  ’ 

Without  replying,  Erwin  at  once  arose  and 
together  the  boys  stealthily  withdrew  from 
the  place.  Ignorant  of  the  region,  not  even 
aware  of  the  location  of  any  of  the  roads  ex¬ 
cept  the  one  over  which  they  themselves  had 
been  brought,  their  very  lack  of  information 
was  likely  to  prove  to  be  their  greatest  source 
of  peril. 

Undismayed,  however,  Taylor  was  deter¬ 
mined  to  make  the  attempt,  and  Erwin  fol- 


364  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


lowed  without  comment  or  complaint. 
Either  guards  had  not  been  stationed  at  all 
in  the  rear  of  the  place  they  were  leaving, 
or  they  successfully  evaded  them,  for  in  a 
brief  time  the  boys  found  themselves  in  a 
road.  Taylor  had  a  vague  idea  as  to  the 
general  direction  in  which  the  army  of  Gen¬ 
eral  Sherman  was  likely  to  be  found,  but 
beyond  that  he  had  no  information. 

He  hastily  examined  the  road  in  the  dim 
light,  and  though  it  was  far  from  promising, 
yet  he  suspected  that  it  was  the  Springfield 
road  to  which  the  sergeant  referred  when 
he  had  announced  the  disappearance  of  the 
two  prisoners. 

A  woman  was  approaching  and  Erwin 
hastily  drew  back  into  the  darkness.  His 
friend,  however,  advanced  and  inquired,  “Is 
this  the  road  to  Springfield  V9 

“I  reck  hi  hit  is,  suIl,”  she  replied  with  a 
drawl. 

“Thank  you.” 

“Yo’-all  ’s  goin’  in  th’  wrong  d’rection,” 
cautioned  the  woman,  as  she  stopped  after 
she  had  passed.  “Springfield  is  back  yon- 
dali,  suh.” 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 


365 


4 ‘Yes.  Yes.  I  know,”  said  Taylor  has¬ 
tily.  “We’ll  understand.  We  won’t  have 
any  trouble.  I  just  wanted  to  make  sure 
this  was  the  Springfield  road,  that’s  all. 
We’ll  find  our  way  there  all  right.  Thank 
you.  Thank  you.” 

In  spite  of  the  nearness  to  their  prison 
house,  Taylor  had  not  dared  to  betray  to  the 
woman  his  eagerness  to  leave.  Apparently 
her  suspicions  had  not  been  aroused  by  what 
he  did  say,  and  as  soon  as  she  was  gone, 
Taylor  ran  to  the  place  where  his  comrade 
was  hiding,  and  then  the  two  boys  resumed 
their  flight. 

How  long  it  would  be  before  the  dogs  would 
be  in  pursuit  of  them,  Taylor  could  only  con¬ 
jecture,  although  he  was  convinced  that  it 
would  not  be  long.  Two  things  were  evident 
now — one  that  the  boys  must  go  as  far  as  pos¬ 
sible  before  the  inevitable  chase  was  begun, 
and  the  second  was  that  they  must  somehow 
leave  the  Springfield  road  and  also  without 
leaving  behind  them  any  evidence  that  they 
had  done  so. 

Soon  they  came  to  a  low-spreading  tree 
whose  branches  reached  across  the  road. 


366  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“Here!”  whispered  Taylor,  instantly  turn¬ 
ing  to  liis  friend. 

Without  a  word  from  Erwin,  the  boys 
turned  to  the  tree,  hastily  climbed  into  the 
lowest  branch,  worked  their  way  across  to 
the  opposite  side  of  the  road  and  then 
dropped  into  the  sluggish  waters  of  a  small 
stream  that  was  there. 

Breathlessly  the  two  boys  followed  the  bed 
of  the  stream,  Taylor  leading  the  way,  and 
frequently  being  compelled  to  slacken  his 
speed  to  assist  his  comrade,  who  already  was 
struggling  hard.  Taylor  was  even  fearful 
that  the  labored  breathing  of  his  friend 
would  betray  them,  and  so,  despite  his  own 
intense  desire  to  proceed  swiftly,  he  was 
compelled  to  favor  the  weakness  of  Erwin. 

The  boys  had  not  gone  far  on  their  way 
before  they  arrived  at  a  place  where  an¬ 
other  stream  entered  the  one  through  which 
they  were  wading.  The  water  was  much 
deeper  now,  and  their  progress  more  difficult. 
In  a  little  while  the  boys  found  themselves 
in  what  apparently  was  a  swamp  or  great 
marsh,  and  though  he  knew  not  what  lay 
before  him,  Taylor  helped  his  comrade  on- 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 


367 


ward  until  at  last  it  was  apparent  that  Erwin 
could  go  no  farther. 

“You  go  on,  Taylor,  and  leave  me  here,” 
gasped  Erwin,  as  he  seated  himself  on  a  log 
on  the  bank. 

“Thank  you,”  replied  Taylor.  “I’ll  do 
nothing  of  the  kind.” 

“I  can’t  go  on.” 

“We  won’t  try  to,  then.” 

“But  you  must.  Hark!  What’s  that?” 

Taylor  recognized  only  too  well  the  start¬ 
ling  sound  to  which  Erwin  had  directed  his 
attention.  The  dogs  had  been  found  and 
the  chase  was  begun.  The  weakness  of  Er¬ 
win  was  now  so  apparent  that  Taylor  bit¬ 
terly  regretted  the  attempt  to  escape.  So 
eager  had  he  himself  been  that  he  had  suf¬ 
fered  what  was  commonly  called  among  the 
prisoners  “the  fever,”  by  which  term  the 
men  referred  to  those  of  their  number  who 
were  so  filled  with  the  determination  to  es¬ 
cape  that  they  talked  or  thought  of  little  else. 
Even  the  fact  that  they  were  now  in  Georgia, 
and  probably  at  no  great  distance  from  their 
friends  in  Sherman’s  army  had  served  only 
to  increase  the  strength  of  Taylor’s  purpose. 


368  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


To  attempt  and  fail  was  better  than  not  to 
make  any  attempt  at  all  he  had  said  to  him¬ 
self  again  and  again.  Indeed,  that  was  his 
true  feeling  as  far  as  himself  was  concerned; 
but  Erwin’s  manifest  weakness  was  now  a 
new  and  serious  problem  to  be  met.  And 
Taylor,  with  the  sound  of  the  pursuers  now 
heard  in  the  distance,  heartily  wished  that  he 
liad  not  trusted  to  the  easy-going  ways  of  the 
sergeant  who  had  brought  them  to  Sylvania. 
Tlie  indifference  of  the  man  had  been  more 
apparent  than  real,  and  now  it  was  quite 
probable  that  the  efforts  the  boys  had  made 
to  avoid  leaving  tracks  behind  them  in  their 
flight  would  be  futile. 

Something  must  be  done  and  at  once.  Tay¬ 
lor,  almost  in  desperation,  darted  into  the 
woods  behind  him,  but  there  was  no  pros¬ 
pect  of  aid  to  be  found  in  that  direction,  and 
he  speedily  returned.  He  held  a  stout  club 
in  his  hands  and  Erwin  had  another,  al¬ 
though  it  had  now  fallen  from  his  grasp. 
Erwin  was  apparently  even  more  helpless 
than  he  had  been  a  half-hour  before. 

All  about  the  place  where  the  boys  were 
seated  grew  trees,  some  of  which  were  ever- 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 


369 


greens.  Taylor  looked  into  tlie  branches, 
but  no  refuge  was  promised  there,  and  even 
if  there  had  been,  his  companion  was  now 
too  ill  to  climb.  Almost  in  despair,  Taylor 
stopped  and  listened.  The  appalling  sound 
was  much  clearer  now.  Manifestly  the  dogs 
were  coming  nearer,  and  with  the  dogs  were 
men!  The  thought  was  not  consoling.  And 
yet  Taylor  was  not  willing  to  abandon  him¬ 
self  to  the  threatening  fate. 

He  turned  to  his  friend,  who  now  was 
leaning  against  a  tree.  Taylor  could  see 
that  his  eyes  were  closed,  and  in  the  dim 
light  his  face  was  ghastly.  Sick  at  heart, 
troubled  as  he  had  not  been  in  all  his  ex¬ 
periences  in  the  prison  camps,  the  young 
soldier  grasped  his  club  more  tightly  and  al¬ 
most  in  despair  turned  for  a  moment  to  listen 
to  the  weird  cry  which  plainly  was  much 
nearer  than  it  had  been. 

As  Taylor  turned  back  almost  in  despera¬ 
tion  to  look  again  at  his  friend,  a  low  ex¬ 
clamation  escaped  him,  and  lifting  his  club 
he  drew  back  prepared  to  defend  himself. 
There  before  him,  standing  beside  Erwin, 
was  a  man  so  large  that  at  first  he  seemed 


370  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


to  be  like  some  shadow  giant.  How  the  man 
had  approached,  or  where  he  had  come  from, 
Taylor  could  not  understand.  All  he  saw 
was  that  the  giant  was  before  him,  though 
whether  he  was  friend  or  enemy  was  not 
yet  manifest. 

“Yo’  come!”  said  the  man  in  a  low  voice 
which  was  so  deep  that  it  almost  seemed  to 
remind  Taylor  of  the  mutterings  of  distant 
rumbling  thunder. 

‘  4  Where  V9  the  young  prisoner  whispered, 
hope  returning  for  a  moment  as  he  became 
aware  that  the  man  before  him  was  a  negro. 

“00106,”  repeated  the  black  man,  as  he 
turned  and  listened  intently  to  the  sound  of 
the  dogs  that  now  could  not  be  far  away. 

“Come,  Erwin.  We’ve  found  a  friend. 
Get  up!  You  must  try!”  whispered  Tay¬ 
lor  encouragingly,  as  he  bent  low  over  his 
friend. 

Apparently  Erwin  did  not  hear.  His 
head  had  fallen  forward  and  he  sat  motion¬ 
less. 

Almost  sobbing,  Taylor  turned  to  the  black 
man  and  said — “He’s  sick.  He’s  abso- 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 


371 


lutely  exhausted.  I  don’t  believe  he  can 
stand  upon  his  feet.” 

The  black  man  bent  over  the  silent  boy 
for  a  moment,  then  lifting  Erwin  in  his  arms 
he  said  to  Taylor,  simply,  “Yo ’  follow  me.” 

The  negro’s  burden  was  not  heavy,  for  Er¬ 
win  at  the  time  did  not  weigh  more  than 
eighty  or  ninety  pounds,  Taylor  thought.  It 
was  speedily  evident  that  the  black  man  was 
not  delayed,  for  as  he  sped  forward  into  the 
woods  Taylor  had  to  exert  himself  to  the 
utmost  to  follow  him. 

Leaping  in  the  marshy  places  from  one 
mound  to  another,  the  man  sped  forward, 
Taylor  following  as  best  he  was  able.  Om 
and  still  on,  the  man  made  his  way  until  he 
halted  at  last  on  the  border  of  a  little  pond. 

“Dis  yere’s  de  place,”  said  the  negro  with 
a  deep  chuckle. 

As  Taylor  glanced  eagerly  about  him  he 
was  unable  to  perceive  any  “ place,”  but  he 
did  not  speak  as  in  surprise  he  watched  the 
giant  before  him. 

From  some  place  of  concealment  the  black 
man  freed  a  rope  which  was  hanging  from 


372  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  oak  tree  beneath  which  the  men  were 
standing.  Hastily  adjusting  this  rope  be¬ 
neath  Erwin’s  shoulders,  the  negro  then 
grasped  the  rope  above,  and  as  soon  as  he 
had  gained  a  foothold  among  the  branches 
he  drew  Erwin,  now  apparently  unconscious, 
up  after  him,  while  Taylor  looked  on  in 
wonder. 

In  a  moment  the  rope  was  lowered  for 
him  also,  and  quickly  he,  too,  was  drawn  up 
into  the  tree  by  the  powerful  negro.  Not  a 
word  was  spoken,  and  the  only  sound  that 
broke  in  upon  the  stillness  of  the  night  was 
the  cry  of  the  hounds  that  evidently  now 
had  entered  the  swamp.  And  yet,  though 
Taylor  could  not  have  explained  its  cause, 
his  feeling  of  hope  had  in  a  measure  re¬ 
turned. 

From  a  place  in  the  branches  the  black 
man,  still  holding  Erwin  in  his  arms,  pro¬ 
duced  a  board  which  he  extended  to  a  limb 
of  the  nearest  tree.  Across  this  board  he 
moved  swiftly,  and  as  soon  as  Taylor  fol¬ 
lowed,  the  negro  again  placed  his  strange 
bridge  in  such  a  manner  that  he  passed  on 
to  another  tree,  and  Taylor  again  followed. 


A  FRIEND  IN  NEED 


373 


The  process  was  repeated  many  times  be¬ 
fore  the  negro  grasped  a  rope  hanging  from 
the  tree  where  the  final  stop  had  been  made, 
and  slid  to  the  ground.  Taylor  again  fol¬ 
lowed,  and  as  he  alighted  he  saw  that  the  ne¬ 
gro,  as  soon  as  he  had  secured  the  rope, 
again  produced  his  strange  bridge,  and  the 
party  in  this  manner  advanced  from  one  lit¬ 
tle  mound  to  another  until  at  last  they 
stepped  upon  firm  ground. 


CHAPTEE  XXX 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 

With  every  advance  the  hoard,  which  had 
served  as  a  bridge,  was  withdrawn  and  used 
again  with  each  forward  movement.  Even 
when  at  last  a  firmer  foothold  had  been  ob¬ 
tained,  the  huge  negro  insisted  that  his  com¬ 
panions  should  stand  upon  the  hoard  instead 
of  the  ground.  Taylor  saw  that  the  negro 
was  not  unmindful  of  the  pursuit,  for  he  had 
turned  his  head  in  the  direction  of  the 
sounds  every  time  he  had  reached  the  mound 
he  was  seeking,  but  he  had  not  for  a  moment 
delayed  the  flight. 

When  at  last  the  little  party  arrived  at 
the  place  where  apparently  the  ground  was 
less  broken  than  it  had  been  elsewhere,  the 
negro  placed  Erwin  in  the  hands  of  his  com¬ 
panion  while  he  himself  disappeared  for  a 
moment.  As  Taylor  glanced  about  him  he 
was  aware  that  he  was  standing  on  what  ap¬ 
peared  to  be  a  small  island  in  the  midst  of 

374 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 


375 


the  surrounding  swamp.  Rank  bushes  grew 
all  about  the  border,  and  from  the  center  of 
the  island,  which  Taylor  concluded  was  not 
more  than  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter,  sev¬ 
eral  tall  trees  rose,  their  branches  hidden  in 
part  by  the  high  brush,  and,  where  they  ex¬ 
tended  above  the  bushes  they  reached  far  out 
over  the  foul  waters  of  the  marsh. 

Why  the  huge  negro  had  brought  them 
to  the  place,  Taylor  was  not  able  to  under¬ 
stand.  The  sudden  appearance  of  the  black 
man  in  their  time  of  greatest  need,  who  the 
man  was,  or  why  he  should  have  befriended 
them  as  he  did  were  also  mysteries  for  which 
as  yet  the  young  soldier  was  unable  to  find 
any  explanation. 

Taylor  had  not  long  to  wait  for  the  reap¬ 
pearance  of  his  strange  friend.  From  a 
long  limb  of  a  near-by  tree  the  negro  sud¬ 
denly  hailed  him  in  a  low  voice,  and  as  Tay¬ 
lor  looked  up  quickly  he  saw  a  ladder  made 
of  twisted  vines  suddenly  let  down  almost 
directly  in  front  of  him.  Down  this  ladder 
the  negro  came  with  an  agility  surprising  in 
one  of  his  immense  size.  Quickly  taking  Er¬ 
win  in  his  arms,  the  negro  rapidly  climbed 


376  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  ladder  again  and  disappeared  with  his 
burden  among  the  thick  branches  of  the 
nearby  trees. 

To  Taylor,  wearied  and  anxious  as  he  was, 
it  seemed  as  if  the  sounds  of  his  pursuers  in¬ 
dicated  that  they  had  not  been  led  astray  in 
spite  of  all  the  attempts  of  the  negro  to  hide 
their  tracks.  The  shouts  of  men  also  could 
he  heard,  and  for  a  moment  Taylor  believed 
that  he  had  been  seen,  when  an  unusually  loud 
shout  was  followed  by  a  prolonged  cry  from 
the  dogs.  The  young  soldier  glanced  fear¬ 
fully  about  him.  In  his  eagerness  he  placed 
his  hands  on  the  swaying  ladder  of  vines,  but 
as  he  was  about  to  ascend,  the  negro  suddenly 
reappeared  on  the  branch  directly  above  him. 

‘ 4  Bring  up  de  bo’d,”  whispered  the  black 
man. 

Taylor  instantly  turned  and  seizing  the  im¬ 
provised  bridge  at  once  began  to  ascend 
the  swaying  ladder.  As  soon  as  he  gained  the 
branch,  the  negro  leaned  forward,  drew  the 
ladder  of  vines  up  to  him,  unfastened  it,  and 
then  taking  the  board  from  Taylor’s  hands, 
without  a  word  began  to  move  from  one 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 


377 


branch  to  another,  stepping  in  this  manner 
from  tree  to  tree,  supporting  himself  in  part 
as  he  did  so,  by  grasping  other  branches 
that  almost  interlaced  those  upon  which  he 
was  moving. 

Without  waiting  for  any  instructions  Tay¬ 
lor  at  once  followed.  When  he  arrived  at 
the  third  of  the  trees  he  saw  before  him  what 
at  first  sight  he  thought  was  a  cluster  of  tall 
evergreens  that  had  grown  up  close  to  the 
trunk.  When  the  negro  bent  low,  however, 
and  thrusting  aside  the  covering  crawled 
within,  Taylor  at  once  understood.  On  this 
tree  in  the  midst  of  the  swamp,  a  small  hut, 
not  unlike  a  wigwam  in  its  shape,  had  been 
erected.  As  he  entered  the  strange  place, 
silently  following  the  example  of  his  guide, 
he  was  aware  that  a  platform  of  boards  had 
been  laid  upon  the  branches,  and  that  a  small 
room  was  there  enclosed  by  canvas  which, 
doubtless,  at  some  time,  had  served  as  a  tent 
for  the  soldiers  in  one  of  the  contending  ar¬ 
mies.  The  top  was  open  and  sufficient  light 
entered  to  enable  Taylor  to  see  all  about 
him.  The  dark  evergreens  that  were  out- 


378  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


side  the  room  doubtless  had  been  cut  and 
then  planted  or  arranged  as  a  shelter  for  the 
hiding  place. 

The  room  itself  was  about  eighteen  feet 
from  the  ground.  The  approach  to  it  by  the 
pathway  along  the  branches  of  the  near-by 
trees  was  of  a  character  that  left  no  trail. 
The  use  of  the  board  as  a  bridge,  the  care 
with  which  the  board  was  withdrawn  each 
time  after  it  had  been  used,  the  final  ap¬ 
proach  to  the  place  by  means  of  a  ladder 
and  the  branches  of  the  trees  were  all  ex¬ 
plained  now.  iWith  a  sigh  of  relief,  for  dis¬ 
covery  seemed  almost  impossible,  Taylor 
turned  to  Erwin,  who  was  stretched  upon  the 
floor  on  one  side  of  the  room,  which  was  about 
twelve  feet  square. 

“He  done  tired  out,”  said  the  negro,  as  he 
noted  Taylor’s  glance. 

“I’m  afraid  it’s  worse  than  that,”  said 
Taylor  anxiously,  as  he  stooped  to  examine 
his  friend.  Erwin  was  breathing  regularly, 
but  his  emaciated  face  and  ghastly  appear¬ 
ance  both  served  to  increase  his  friend’s 
anxiety.  It  was  remarkable,  he  thought, 
how  well  he  himself  had  endured  the  terrible 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 


379 


strain  and  suffering,  both  of  the  life  in  the 
prisons  and  the  no  less  difficult  hardships  of 
the  escape.  With  his  companion,  however, 
how  different  it  was.  He  thought  of  Erwin 
as  he  was  when  the  two  boys  had  left  home. 
How  eager  he  had  been.  How  strong  and 
vigorous  he  was.  And  now — .  The  contrast 
was  so  marked,  so  horrible  that  as  Taylor 
looked  down  upon  the  wasted  frame  before 
him,  it  did  not  seem  possible  that  it  really 
was  Erwin. 

There  was  no  opportunity  afforded  for 
even  such  thoughts  to  be  dwelt  upon,  and  in 
a  moment  Taylor  was  recalled  to  the  neces¬ 
sity  of  action  by  what  the  negro  was  doing. 
Around  the  sides  of  the  room  the  young  sol¬ 
dier  saw  four  guns — two  of  which  plainly 
were  rifles,  and  one  a  musket,  and  one  an  old- 
fashioned  shotgun.  This  last  the  negro  took 
and  loaded  heavily  with  buckshot,  crooning  or 
moaning  softly  to  himself  as  he  did  so.  The 
two  rifles  next  were  loaded,  and  then  the 
musket.  Apparently  not  satisfied  with  what 
he  had  done,  the  negro  next  produced  a  half- 
dozen  long  knives.  The  blade  of  each  had 
been  ground  to  a  point,  and  it  was  evident 


380  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


that  as  a  means  of  defense  the  knives  in  the 
hands  of  the  giant  negro  were  not  to  he 
despised.  Next,  the  man  produced  three 
wire  nooses  which  he  placed  carefully  on  the 
floor  near  him  so  that  any  of  them  might  he 
readily  seized  in  case  of  need. 

All  through  his  various  tasks  the  negro 
had  been  crooning  a  weird,  strange  melody, 
though  his  voice  could  not  have  been  heard 
outside  the  hut. 

His  eyes  were  lighted  by  a  strange  fire, 
and  a  smile  occasionally  appeared  on  his  im¬ 
mense  mouth.  To  Taylor  the  smile  was  even 
more  suggestive  than  the  weapons,  which 
were  almost  fondled  by  the  black  man  in  his 
weird  preparations. 

“Wha’  dat?”  suddenly  the  black  man  said 
in  a  whisper.  Standing  erect  he  peered 
from  the  place  through  an  opening  in  the 
canvas.  Not  a  sound  could  now  be  heard, 
even  the  baying  of  the  dogs  apparently  hav¬ 
ing  ceased. 

As  Taylor  had  not  heard  any  alarming 
sound,  he  was  at  a  loss  to  discover  what  the 
actions  of  the  startled  negro  implied.  For 
several  minutes  the  black  man  remained  at 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 


381 


the  porthole,  and  when  at  last  he  turned 
again  to  Taylor  he  merely  grinned  and  did 
not  speak. 

A  half-hour  afterward  the  negro  said, 
“Yo’  stay  yere.” 

4 4 Where  are  you  going?’’  inquired  Taylor 
quickly. 

The  negro  grinned  broadly,  pointed  to  two 
of  the  nooses,  which  he  slipped  over  his 
shoulder,  thrust  two  of  the  knives  into  his 
belt,  and  without  a  word  departed  from  the 
place. 

Unable  to  decide  whether  the  man  had 
merely  gone  forth  to  investigate,  or  had 
heard  something  that  had  aroused  his  sus¬ 
picions,  Taylor  at  once  approached  the  open¬ 
ing  through  which  the  negro  had  been  peer¬ 
ing.  At  first  he  was  unable  to  see  anything 
except  the  dismal  swamp  that  extended  all 
about  him. 

Suddenly,  however,  he  saw  a  sight  that 
was  as  alarming  as  it  was  startling.  Sixty 
feet  away,  near  the  spot  where  the  party 
had  first  entered  the  trees,  he  saw  a  huge 
dog.  Not  a  man  was  in  sight  and  the  dog, 
in  manifest  confusion,  apparently  had  lost 


382  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  scent.  The  fierce  animal  was  sniffing, 
first  on  the  ground,  and  then  at  the  base  of 
the  tree.  It  was  plain  that  the  dog  had  fol¬ 
lowed  a  part  of  the  way,  even  after  the  board 
had  been  used  by  the  fugitives,  but  now  he 
had  become  confused.  Apparently  the  vic¬ 
tims  it  had  been  seeking  had  not  climbed  the 
tree,  for  the  animal  circled  the  base  and  was 
unable  to  find  any  footprint.  Wheeling 
about,  the  bloodhound  again  returned  to  the 
mound,  sniffing  quickly  about  him  and  still 
evidently  at  loss  what  next  to  do. 

Again  the  hound  approached  the  tree  and 
then  a  strange  thing  happened.  Suddenly, 
and  without  any  cause  that  could  be  seen,  the 
dog  was  jerked  into  mid  air  and  hung  there, 
pawing  frantically,  but  apparently  unable  to 
emit  a  sound.  Excitedly  Taylor  watched 
the  struggling  animal.  He  was  unable  to 
obtain  a  glimpse  of  the  negro,  whom  he  more 
than  suspected  to  be  the  unseen  actor  in  the 
strange  scene.  Several  minutes  elapsed  be¬ 
fore  the  dog  ceased  to  struggle,  and  then,  to 
Taylor’s  great  surprise,  the  body  was  drawn 
swiftly  upward  until  it  disappeared  among 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 


383 


the  branches  of  the  tree,  which  was  beside 
some  of  the  tall  evergreens. 

Suddenly  from  the  direction  from  which 
the  dog  had  come  a  man  was  seen  approach¬ 
ing.  He  was  crouching  low  and  carried  a 
rifle  in  his  hands.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
mounds  he  stooped  and  carefully  examined 
them,  and  then,  apparently  convinced  by 
what  he  saw  that  someone  must  have  pre¬ 
ceded  him,  he  cautiously  advanced.  He  was 
peering  intently  about  him,  but  not  once  did 
he  look  up  into  the  trees.  To  Taylor  it 
seemed  as  if  the  man  was  following  the  foot¬ 
prints  of  the  hound,  and  was  looking  about 
him  for  the  animal  itself. 

The  man  at  last  arrived  at  the  tree  where 
the  dog  had  so  abruptly  disappeared.  He 
bent  low  to  inspect  the  footprints,  and  as  he 
did  so,  suddenly  from  the  tree  itself  the  body 
of  the  dog  shot  swiftly  downward,  striking 
the  crouching  man  full  in  the  back  of  the  neck 
and  driving  him,  face  downward,  into  the 
soft  mud.  Not  a  sound  could  Taylor  hear, 
and  not  even  a  smothered  cry  came  from  the 
man  as  he  fell.  The  heavy  body  of  the  dog 


384  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


rested  upon  the  man’s  head  and  held  it. 

Fascinated  by  the  sight,  Taylor  watched 
the  woods  in  the  rear,  expecting  other  dogs 
or  men  now  to  appear.  The  man  who  had 
been  struck  down  by  the  body  of  the  blood¬ 
hound  lay  motionless.  Not  a  sound  broke 
in  upon  the  stillness  of  the  great  swamp. 
The  moments  passed  slowly  and  still  the 
silence  was  unbroken.  Neither  man  nor  dog 
could  be  seen  approaching,  nor  did  the  ne¬ 
gro,  whom  Taylor  believed  to  be  the  one  who 
had  flung  the  dead  body  of  the  hound  upon 
the  crouching  soldier,  appear. 

At  last,  as  Taylor  was  about  to  turn  away 
to  look  to  the  condition  of  Erwin,  the  giant 
negro  suddenly  stepped  upon  the  platform, 
and  thrusting  aside  the  protecting  covering, 
quickly  entered  the  hut. 

Without  a  word,  he  replaced  the  knives  and 
hung  the  wire  nooses  on  the  wall.  Stooping 
beside  Erwin,  who  was  either  unconscious  or 
sleeping,  Taylor  could  not  determine  which, 
the  black  man  examined  him  carefully,  and 
then  rising,  turned  to  Taylor. 

“Wha’  yo*  do  if  old  Richard  had  hi’  he’p 
yo’l” 


A  STRANGE  REFUGE 


385 


“I  don’t  know.  We  would  have  been 
taken  back  to  the  other  prisoners,  I  sup¬ 
pose.” 

The  negro  laughed  silently  and  nodded  bis 
bead  vigorously. 

“How  did  you  find  us?  How  did  you 
know  we  were  there?  Why  did  you  help 
us?” 

Again  the  huge  negro  grinned  broadly, 
but  be  did  not  speak.  Nor  was  Taylor  able 
to  learn  at  the  time  who  the  black  man  was, 
or  why  he  had  his  strange  place  of  refuge 
in  the  swamp. 

“Some  more  men  and  dogs  will  be  here 
soon,  won’t  they?”  Taylor  at  last  suggested 
anxiously. 

“The’  cum  no  farder  ’n  th’  place  whar 
de  dawg  is.” 

“Why  not?” 

Once  more  the  negro  laughed  and  did  not 
reply  to  the  question.  A  half-hour  after¬ 
ward  he  again  leaned  over  Erwin  and  lis¬ 
tened  intently  to  the  young  prisoner’s  breath¬ 
ing.  Apparently  satisfied  by  his  inspection, 
he  stepped  outside  the  hut,  peered  cautiously 
in  every  direction,  and  then  swiftly  de- 


386  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


scended  to  the  ground.  Not  a  word  of  ex-, 
planation  did  he  give  Taylor,  and  when, 
after  an  absence  of  another  half-hour,  he  re¬ 
turned  to  the  room,  he  was  holding  a  wicker 
basket  in  his  teeth. 

Taylor  could  scarcely  credit  the  evidence 
of  his  own  eyes  when  he  saw  the  negro  open 
the  basket  and  take  from  it  some  fried 
chicken,  a  part  of  which  he  handed  the  as¬ 
tonished  boy.  Boiled  rice  also  was  there, 
and  some  roasted  sweet  potatoes,  and  all 
was  warm,  showing  that  the  unexpected  pro¬ 
visions  had  recently  been  cooked. 

The  negro  awakened  Erwin,  but  only  gave 
him  some  of  the  rice,  while  he  and  Taylor 
feasted  upon  the  other  food.  The  rain  was 
falling  now,  and,  as  the  black  man  declared, 
there  was  consequently  no  longer  danger  of 
pursuit  or  search.  He  became  more  talka¬ 
tive,  and,  as  Taylor  listened  to  the  strange 
tale  told  him  by  his  host,  he  almost  forgot 
his  peril  in  his  interest  until  the  negro  sud¬ 
denly  arose,  and  with  a  whispered  word  of 
caution,  stepped  hastily  to  the  opening  in 
the  canvas  and  looked  out. 


CHAPTER  XXXI 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGHT 

The  negro  remained  at  the  opening  a  long 
time,  and,  as  he  did  not  speak,  Taylor’s 
alarm  naturally  increased.  However,  at  last 
the  black  man  resumed  his  seat,  and  as  he 
did  not  betray  any  anxiety  in  his  manner, 
the  fears  of  the  young  soldier  in  a  measure 
were  relieved. 

Calmly,  as  if  there  was  no  danger  threat¬ 
ening,  Richard,  for  such  Taylor  had  already 
learned  the  name  of  his  strange  host  to  be, 
resumed  his  story.  From  his  account,  Tay¬ 
lor  drew  several  conclusions.  One  was  that 
the  negro  was  almost  unbalanced  in  his  mind, 
though  he  was  not  insane.  Then,  too,  evi¬ 
dently  he  was  an  object  of  fear  and  respect 
among  the  negroes  of  the  region.  From 
them  he  had  drawn  his  support  for  more 
than  a  year— maintaining  a  shelter  or  home 
in  the  midst  of  the  swamp.  Either  no 
thorough  search  for  him  had  been  made,  or 

387 


388  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


in  the  multitude  of  troubles  that  threatened 
the  country  his  hiding  place  had  not  been 
discovered.  And  Richard  had  become  fear¬ 
less,  fully  believing  that  he  had  a  charmed 
life.  Recklessly  he  had  gone  by  night  to 
the  quarters  of  the  negroes  on  the  planta¬ 
tions  for  miles  adjacent,  levying  his  tax  of 
food  or  ammunition,  regardless  of  possibili¬ 
ties  of  betrayal  or  capture.  Time  and  again 
he  had  been  chased  by  white  men  and  dogs, 
but  he  had  been  able  to  hide  his  tracks  so 
cleverly  that  he  had  always  succeeded  in  baf¬ 
fling  his  pursuers. 

In  the  midst  of  all  the  peril  and  excitement 
of  his  life  Richard  had  maintained  one  al¬ 
most  insane  purpose — that  of  aiding  the 
Yankees  in  their  troubles  in  the  South.  He 
had  even  gone  to  their  camps  miles  away 
and  repeatedly  had  conducted  escaping  pris¬ 
oners  to  their  friends.  In  every  event,  how¬ 
ever,  he  had  returned  to  his  improvised 
home  among  the  trees  on  the  little  island  in 
the  swamp. 

By  chance  he  had  been  near  the  border  of 
this  swamp  when  Taylor  and  Erwin  had  been 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGHT  389 


fleeing.  Instantly  concluding  that  the  two 
boys  were  what  they  really  were,  he  had 
hastily  brought  his  timely  aid — an  aid,  as 
Taylor  clearly  understood,  that  had  rescued 
them  from  the  hands  of  their  pursuers  and 
the  teeth  of  the  dogs. 

The  condition  of  Erwin  made  all  thoughts 
of  fleeing,  or  even  of  attempts  at  departure 
from  the  place,  not  to  be  thought  of  for  a 
time.  Richard  was  positive  in  his  declara¬ 
tion,  and  Taylor,  although  he  was  by  no 
means  so  confident  as  the  black  man  in  the 
safety  of  the  shelter,  was  also  convinced  that 
his  friend  was  too  weak  to  face  the  demands 
of  a  flight. 

Four  days  passed,  and  Erwin  slowly  re¬ 
gained  strength  under  the  care  of  the  faith¬ 
ful  Richard.  The  negro  every  night  left  the 
place,  and  when  he  returned  in  the  early  light 
of  the  morning,  he  never  failed  to  come  laden 
with  food.  How  he  was  able  to  secure  it  in 
the  poverty-stricken  condition  of  the  adja¬ 
cent  country  Taylor  was  unable  to  under¬ 
stand.  However,  he  was  glad  to  receive  the 
food  which  both  he  and  his  comrade  needed 


390  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


so  much,  and  asked  few  questions,  though  it 
could  hardly  he  said  his  silence  was  “for 
conscience ’  sake.” 

Convinced  that  the  improved  condition  of 
Erwin  was  such  as  to  warrant  a  resumption 
of  their  efforts  to  make  their  way  to  Sher¬ 
man’s  army,  Taylor  said  to  Richard,  when 
the  latter  was  about  to  leave  the  hiding  place 
the  evening  of  the  fifth  day — ‘  ‘  If  you  are  able 
to  get  us  a  little  extra  food  I  think  we’d  bet¬ 
ter  go  on  to-morrow  night.” 

The  black  giant  laughed  good-naturedly 
and  did  not  reply,  as  he  swung  himself  from 
the  tree  and  vanished  in  the  darkness.  In 
the  absence  of  the  negro,  Taylor  had  en¬ 
deavored  to  keep  guard,  hut  after  two  nights 
and  the  positive  assertion  of  Richard  that 
such  precautions  were  not  necessary,  he  had 
in  a  measure  abandoned  the  task  and  had 
slept  almost  as  soundly  as  his  friend. 

For  some  reason  which  he  was  unable  to 
explain,  a  feeling  of  uneasiness  possessed 
Taylor  this  night  after  Richard  departed. 
Perhaps,  he  thought,  his  alarm  might  be  in 
part  due  to  his  own  desire  to  escape.  The 
confinement  had  been  welcome  for  a  time, 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGHT  391 


until  lie  liad  recovered  from  the  violence  of 
his  labors  in  their  flight  from  Sylvania;  but 
now,  when  both  he  and  Erwin  were  in  much 
better  condition  than  they  had  been  for  a 
long  time,  the  longing  to  he  gone  was  too 
strong  to  be  suppressed. 

A  half-hour  after  Richard’s  departure 
Taylor  stepped  forth  upon  the  platform. 
About  him  were  the  trees  festooned  with 
creepers,  the  waters  of  the  swamp,  and  the 
mounds  across  which  he  and  the  negro  had 
moved  in  their  successful  flight  from  their 
pursuers.  How  weird  and  strange  it  all  ap¬ 
peared  in  the  dim  light.  How  different  it 
was  from  the  country  in  which  he  had  his 
home.  The  thought  of  the  little  New  York 
State  village  added  to  the  gloom  of  the  young 
soldier.  A  feeling  of  restlessness  swept 
over  him.  He  was  weary  of  the  inactivity 
of  the  past  few  days. 

Returning  hastily  to  the  hut,  Taylor  said 
to  his  friend,  ‘ 4 Erwin,  I  think  I’ll  take  a  lit¬ 
tle  look  about  the  swamp.  ’  ’ 

‘ i Don’t!  Stay  right  here  where  we  know 
we  are  safe.” 

“I  think  I’ll  be  safe  almost  anywhere  now. 


392  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Tlie  Johnnies  are  quick,  but  they  don’t  seem 
to  hang  on  very  well.” 

‘  6  Hang  on !  ”  retorted  Erwin.  ‘  ‘  Any  other 
people  on  earth  would  have  quit  this  war 
months — years  ago !  ’  ’ 

“That’s  all  right,  hut  it  isn’t  what  I 
meant.  I  was  thinking  of  the  sergeant. 
Really  he  was  a  good-hearted  fellow,  and  he 
was  more  decent  to  us  than  any  man  we’ve 
met  except  Lieutenant  Evans.  He  was  too 
easy  with  us — that’s  what  got  him  into  his 
trouble.  What  I  meant  was,  that  when  we 
got  away  and  the  Johnnies  started  after  us, 
they  gave  us  a  hot  chase  for  awhile,  but  they 
didn’t  hang  on  very  long.” 

“You  don’t  know  whether  they’ve  given 
up  or  not.” 

“If  they  haven’t  given  up  they  haven’t 
shown  themselves  or  found  us  anyway,” 
laughed  Taylor.  It  did  the  young  soldier 
good  just  to  hear  his  friend  speak. 

That  very  afternoon  he  had  laughed 
when  Erwin  had  declared  he  was  almost, 

7 

if  not  quite  ready  to  leave  the  place. 
How  much  good  food  and  rest  had  done  for 
him! 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGIIT 


393 


“If  we  were  sure  of  that,  we’d  be  ready 
to  leave  to-morrow  night.” 

“I  think  we’ll  leave  anyway.” 

“Where’ll  we  go?” 

“We’ll  just  keep  on,”  said  Taylor  lightly. 

“Let  us  hope  so.  I  wonder  if  Eichard 
will  go  with  us  part  of  the  way.” 

“I  think  he  will,  though  I  haven’t  said  any¬ 
thing  to  him  about  it.” 

“Did  you  ever  see  a  stronger  man  than 
he  is?” 

“No,  I  don’t  think  I  ever  did.  Think  of  a 
man  drawing  that  big  hound  up  into  the  tree 
and  then  throwing  the  body  down  just  as  if 
it  was  a  light  stone!  I  never  saw  anything 
like  it.” 

“Eichard  said  the  man  wasn’t  killed,  but 
that  both  the  man  and  the  dog  were  gone.” 

“Yes,  and  I  don’t  know  exactly  what  to 
make  of  that,”  said  Taylor  thoughtfully. 

“Why?  What  do  you  mean?” 

“I  think  the  man  was  dead.  He  may  not 
have  been  killed  by  the  force  of  the  blow 
when  the  dog  hit  him,  but  it  drove  him  face 
forward  into  the  mud,  and  the  body  held  him 
down.  ’  ’ 


394  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“ Perhaps  it  didn’t.  At  all  events,  the 
man  got  np  and  went  away.” 

“Did  he?  I  wish  I  was  snre  of  that.” 

“Don’t  yon  believe  he  did?”  demanded 
Erwin  quickly. 

“I  have  my  fears.  Of  course  we  know 
both  bodies  are  gone.  The  dog  was  dead, 
and  I  think  the  man  was,  too.  Now,  if  he 
was  dead,  tell  me  how  he  got  up  and  walked 
off  and  took  the  dead  dog  with  him,  too.  ’  ’ 

“Of  course  he  couldn’t  and  didn’t  do  any 
such  thing.” 

“Do  you  believe  he  would  have  taken 
a  dead  dog  with  him  through  all  this 
swamp  ?  ’  ’ 

“It  doesn’t  seem  reasonable,  does  it?” 
said  Erwin  thoughtfully.  “What  do  you 
think?” 

“I  don’t  know  what  to  think.  I  know 
what  I’m  afraid  of,  though?” 

“That  others  found  him?” 

“Yes.” 

“Why  would  they  take  a  dead  hound 
away  ?  ’  ’ 

“That  I  don’t  know.” 

“Do  you  think  we  ought  to  keep  watch?” 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGHT  395 


“I  do.  I’m  going  out  a  little  way  and  look 
around.  ’  ’ 

“ Don’t  go.  Don’t  leave  the  place.  I’ll 
stand  guard  here,”  protested  Erwin  eagerly. 
“You  won’t  gain  anything  by  going  into 
the  swamp.  Besides,  you  don’t  know  the 
way,  and  if  you  are  lost — ” 

“I  shan’t  be  lost.  I’m  not  going  far;  hut 
I  must  have  a  little  look  about  the  swamp. 
Besides,  it  will  do  me  good — Hark!”  Taylor 
sharply  interrupted  himself,  and  both  boys 
listened  intently. 

In  a  brief  time  their  fears  were  increased 
when  it  became  manifest  that  someone  was 
certainly  approaching.  Before  either  could 
act,  the  opening  into  the  hut  was  darkened 
and  Richard  himself  stepped  within  the 
room. 

Instantly  it  became  manifest  that  the  giant 
negro  was  greatly  excited.  He  did  not  speak 
at  first,  but  he  was  busying  himself  in  strap¬ 
ping  two  guns  to  his  shoulders  and  thrusting 
several  of  the  knives  into  his  belt.  He  sol¬ 
emnly  handed  a  gun  to  each  of  his  compan¬ 
ions  and  then  said  brusquely,  “We-uns 
mus’  leab  dis  yere  place  right  sma’t.” 


396  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


“.What’s  wrong?  Have  they  found  us?” 
inquired  Taylor. 

“Yaas.  Come  on.” 

Quickly  the  trio  departed  from  the  strange 
hut.  The  board  was  used  as  it  had  been 
when  the  boys  had  first  approached  the  place, 
but  this  time  even  the  negro  was  cautious. 
The  little  party  had  barely  gained  the  firmer 
ground  when  they  were  startled  by  a  fierce 
shout  that  rose  behind  them.  Plainly  the 
yell  came  from  a  band  of  men  and  was  speed¬ 
ily  followed  by  a  volley  of  shots. 

“Hey  sho’ly  done  foun’  de  place  dis 
time,”  muttered  Richard  savagely,  as  he 
urged  forward  the  flight.  Swiftly  the  boys 
followed  their  huge  leader.  Occasionally  the 
black  man  insisted  upon  his  companions  re¬ 
maining  behind  while  he  advanced  alone  to 
make  sure  of  his  ground.  Every  time  when 
he  rejoined  the  boys  his  demand  for  haste 
increased.  Several  times,  too,  he  sharply 
changed  the  direction  in  which  the  little  party 
was  moving,  the  boys  following  obediently, 
aware  that  their  sole  hope  consisted  in  im¬ 
plicitly  obeying  the  directions  they  received. 


Quickly  the  trio  departed  from  tiie  strange  iiut. 

Page  396. 


. 

■ 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGHT 


397 


At  last  the  road  was  gained  and  here  Rich¬ 
ard  insisted  upon  each  one  leaping  across  it. 
He  did  not  explain  what  the  purpose  of  his 
demand  was,  hut  each  hoy  was  confident  that 
he  understood  and  made  no  protest. 

Across  the  fields,  through  another  great 
stretch  of  woods,  into  still  another  road, 
where  again  the  hoys  leaped  at  the  negro’s 
bidding,  the  little  party  fled.  For  an  hour 
or  more  the  flight  was  continued  before  the 
negro  halted.  When  at  last  the  boys  stopped 
they  were  aware  that  they  were  in  a  worn 
path  that  apparently  led  the  way  among 
some  hills. 

After  a  brief  rest  the  flight  was  resumed 
until  Erwin  declared  he  could  go  no  further. 
He  was  dripping  with  perspiration  and  his 
body  was  trembling  with  weakness.  Despite 
his  recent  improvement,  his  strength  was  not 
sufficient  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  power¬ 
ful  Richard. 

After  another  brief  rest  the  black  man 
brusquely  ordered  Erwin  to  place  himself 
on  his  (Richard’s)  hack  and  then  the  party 
again  started.  The  load  which  the  negro 


398  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


carried  apparently  did  not  greatly  impede 
him,  and  an  hour  elapsed  before  another  halt 
was  called. 

They  had  stopped  before  a  lonely  cabin 
and  there  in  response  to  Richard’s  hail  the 
door  was  opened  and  a  colored  man  ap¬ 
proached.  After  a  brief  conversation  be¬ 
tween  the  two  black  men  the  boys  were  bid¬ 
den  to  enter  the  building. 

“Dis  yere’s  safe  now,”  said  Richard.  He 
further  explained  that  the  boys  were  to  lie 
in  hiding  in  the  hut  until  the  following  night, 
when  he  promised  to  return  and  guide  them 
to  a  place  of  safety  farther  on.  His  fear  of 
pursuit  apparently  was  gone.  The  two  boys 
were  so  utterly  wearied  that  neither  asked 
any  questions  nor  made  any  protest,  glad  of 
the  opportunity  of  securing  rest  and  food. 

Throughout  the  day  that  followed  Richard 
did  not  appear,  but  early  in  the  evening  he 
came  and  reported  that  his  strange  refuge  in 
the  swamp  had  been  burned  and  that  the 
white  men,  who  at  last  had  discovered  his 
hiding  place,  believed  that  he  and  the  two 
boys  had  escaped  and  that  all  further  at¬ 
tempts  to  pursue  them  were  useless. 


FROM  NIGHT  TO  NIGHT  399 


The  confidence  of  the  negro  was  an  in¬ 
spiration  to  both  boys,  and  more  eagerly, 
because  both  were  now  more  hopeful,  they 
followed  their  strange  guide  as  he  led  them 
through  the  darkness.  Familiar  with  the 
places  of  refuge  in  the  region,  Richard  halted 
each  morning  before  sunrise,  and  in  some  se¬ 
cure  or  hidden  place  the  hoys  slept  each 
day.  From  unaccountable  sources  the  ne¬ 
gro  obtained  supplies  of  food,  and  as  a  con¬ 
sequence  the  privations  and  sufferings  of  the 
flight  were  less  severe,  although  on  several 
occasions  Richard  still  insisted  upon  carry¬ 
ing  Erwin  upon  his  hack.  Indeed,  the  de¬ 
votion  and  determination  of  the  black  man 
did  not  once  flag. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  sixth  day  of 
the  flight,  the  hoys  were  startled  when  in  the 
dim  light  they  discovered  what  plainly  were 
the  outposts  of  an  army.  It  was  still  too 
dark  to  enable  them  to  perceive  what  the  uni¬ 
form  of  the  men  was,  but  upon  the  earnest 
advice  of  Richard  they  all  three  advanced 
until  they  were  halted  by  the  sharp  challenge 
of  the  sentinel  before  them. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 


CONCLUSION 

Only  a  few  minutes  were  required  to  con¬ 
vince  the  guard  that  friends  and  not  ene¬ 
mies  were  approaching.  The  little  party  of 
three  was  sent  within  the  lines  and  explana¬ 
tions  made  and  received.  The  fluttering  flag 
of  the  camp  roused  even  Erwin  to  a  show 
of  enthusiasm. 

‘ ‘For  the  Stars  and  Stripes!”  shouted 
Taylor;  and  his  words  were  followed  by  a 
cheer  from  the  men  in  blue  that  quickly  gath¬ 
ered  about  the  newcomers.  Richard  insisted 
upon  remaining  in  the  camp  and  a  place  for 
Erwin  was  soon  found  by  the  hospital  corps. 
The  young  soldier  was  so  completely  worn 
out  by  the  terrible  experiences  through  which 
he  had  passed  that  the  care  of  nurses  and 
physicians  was  required.  Through  Taylor’s 
representations  a  promise  was  secured  that 
as  soon  as  his  friend  was  able  to  endure  the 
strain  of  the  long  journey  he  should  be  sent 

400 


CONCLUSION 


401 


north  on  a  furlough  of  at  least  three  months. 

As  for  Taylor  himself — he  declared  that 
the  return  to  the  army  and  the  escape  from 
the  horrors  and  sufferings  of  the  prison  pens 
were  sufficient  rewards  for  him,  and  that  he 
now  was  able  to  take  his  part  in  the  heroic 
struggle  that  still  continued.  Among  his 
first  duties,  however,  was  that  of  writing  two 
letters.  One  was  sent  to  his  mother  in  the 
little  far-away  village  in  New  York  State. 
In  it  he  described  only  a  part  of  his  recent 
experiences,  and  assured  the  anxious  ones  at 
home  that  he  was  well  and  full  of  hope  that 
the  struggle  was  drawing  near  its  close.  The 
other  letter  was  to  a  certain  Miss  Sallie  Hitt, 
in  which  he  begged  for  information  concern¬ 
ing  the  conditions  that  surrounded  her,  and 
also  gave  minute  instructions  as  to  how  a  re¬ 
ply  might  be  sent  him.  Knowing  her  loyalty 
to  her  own  cause  as  he  did,  Taylor  was  not 
hopeful  of  receiving  any  response  to  his  re¬ 
quest  ;  but  for  reasons  which  he  did  not  fully 
explain  to  any  one,  he  sent  the  letter  and 
waited  until  the  result  should  become  ap¬ 
parent. 

Meanwhile  the  young  soldier,  filled  with  in- 


402  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


terest  in  liis  surroundings  and  doubly  pa¬ 
triotic  after  his  break  for  freedom,  eagerly 
received  the  information  which  his  comrades 
in  arms  were  able  to  give  him.  From  them 
he  learned  that,  as  early  as  the  preceding 
May,  Grant  and  Sherman  had  begun  the  ad¬ 
vance  which  then  had  been  planned.  Grant, 
taking  Sheridan  with  him,  went  to  Virginia, 
there  to  meet  Lee.  The  constant  “hammer¬ 
ing”  which  Grant  had  employed  in  the  west 
had  won  him  his  victories  there,  and  now  he 
was  the  lieutenant-general,  having  command 
of  all  the  Union  forces. 

Between  Fredericksburg  and  Richmond 
was  a  region  crossed  from  west  to  east  by 
many  rivers.  Here  Lee  had  erected  many 
fortifications  from  behind  which  he  fought 
Grant  successfully  for  two  weeks,  repulsing 
the  attempts  of  the  Union  men  to  take  the 
places  by  storm.  This  region  was  known  as 
the  Wilderness,  and  here  occurred  the  blood¬ 
iest  fighting  of  the  war.  In  the  first  three 
days  of  the  Wilderness  battles,  Grant  lost 
38,000  men;  in  the  next  eleven,  at  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court-house,  26,000  more  were  lost — a 
total  of  64,000  in  two  weeks.  Lee’s  loss  in 


CONCLUSION 


403 


the  same  time  was  only  about  one-third  that 
of  Grant,  in  part  at  least  indicating  some¬ 
thing  of  the  difference  between  attacking 
and  defending  a  position. 

Grant  now  resorted  to  skill  rather  than  to 
mere  force  of  numbers.  At  each  of  Lee’s 
defenses  he  attacked  lightly  in  front  and  at 
the  same  time  pushed  forward  a  part  of  his 
force  to  the  left  to  attack  Lee’s  army  in  the 
rear.  In  this  manner  Lee’s  army  was  “ham¬ 
mered”  until  it  was  inside  the  main  defenses 
of  Eichmond,  the  center  of  which  was  at  Cold 
Harbor. 

The  entire  army  under  Grant  was  hurled 
against  Cold  Harbor,  but  the  defense  was 
wonderful.  In  twenty  minutes  the  assault 
was  repulsed.  Cold  Harbor  cost  the  Union 
army  15,000  men;  the  Confederates  losing 
only  a  little  more  than  one-tenth  that  num¬ 
ber. 

Eichmond  had  such  strong  defenses  on  the 
north  that  Grant  now  decided  to  move  his 
army  across  the  James  river  and  attack 
the  place  from  the  south.  By  June  (1864)  the 
movement  had  been  accomplished,  but  the 
problem  of  Grant  was  not  less  difficult  than 


404  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


before.  Lee  liad  moved  bis  own  army  as  bis 
opponents  moved.  From  Petersburg,  about 
twenty  miles  south  of  Richmond,  the  Con¬ 
federate  fortifications  ran  in  an  irregular 
curve  to  the  north  of  Richmond — a  distance 
of  about  thirty  miles. 

Grant  made  one  strong  attempt  to  storm 
Petersburg.  A  mine  was  dug  under  one  of 
the  Confederate  forts.  This  mine  was  filled 
with  four  tons  of  powder,  and  when  it  was 
exploded  (July  30)  the  fort  and  its  garrison 
were  blown  to  pieces.  But  the  assault  which 
was  to  follow  was  badly  managed,  and  the 
Union  troops  were  driven  back,  suffering  a 
heavy  loss.  Later,  in  September,  the  Union 
army  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  was  at¬ 
tacked  at  Cedar  Creek,  about  twenty  miles 
below  Winchester.  The  Confederates  at 
first  drove  the  Union  men  before  them,  but 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  Sheridan, 
who  was  at  Winchester,  rejoined  the  army, 
rallied  his  men,  and  drove  the  Confederates 
far  up  the  valley. 

Meanwhile,  General  Sherman  had  been 
moving  from  Chattanooga  with  his  army. 


CONCLUSION 


405 


Opposed  to  Sherman  was  Johnston,  and  the 
two  leaders  were  among  the  most  skillful  of 
the  generals  on  either  side  in  the  great  strug¬ 
gle.  Johnston’s  plan  was  to  draw  Sherman 
away  from  Chattanooga  and  meet  him  in  bat¬ 
tle  where  the  field  might  favor  the  Confed¬ 
erates.  Sherman’s  plan  was  to  avoid  a  bat¬ 
tle  as  long  as  possible,  and  hold  Johnston 
in  the  south  so  that  he  could  not  go  north  to 
aid  his  hardly  beset  comrade-in-arms,  Gen¬ 
eral  Lee. 

As  Sherman  advanced,  all  his  supplies  had 
to  be  brought  by  the  single  railroad  behind 
him.  This  railroad  had  to  be  guarded  or  the 
Confederate  cavalry  would  work  into  the  re¬ 
gion  in  the  rear  of  Sherman’s  army,  destroy 
this  railroad,  ana  so  cut  oft  all  supplies.  To 
leave  a  guard  for  the  railway  as  Sherman 
advanced  required  many  men,  and,  as  a  con¬ 
sequence,  the  army  was  steadily  weakened 
by  the  withdrawal  of  every  new  force  of 
guards.  This  was  exactly  what  the  skillful 
General  Johnston  had  planned  to  bring  to 
pass,  and  his  plan  to  attack  the  diminished 
forces  had  already  been  made,  when  suddenly, 


406  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


unexpectedly,  the  Confederate  leader  was  re¬ 
moved  from  his  position  and  Hood  was  ap¬ 
pointed  in  his  place. 

Hood  was  a  hard  tighter,  but  not  nearly  so 
skillful  a  leader  as  Johnston.  The  change 
was  fortunate  for  the  Union  army.  Hood 
made  three  savage  attacks  on  Sherman’s 
army  but  was  repulsed  in  every  one ;  and  on 
September  2  (1864)  Sherman  and  his  men 
entered  and  took  possession  of  Atlanta. 

Hood  now  led  his  army  northwest.  His 
hope  was  that  Sherman  would  be  compelled 
to  follow  him,  and  that  the  war  thus  would 
be  carried  north.  Sherman  had  been  hop¬ 
ing  that  Hood  would  do  the  very  thing  he 
did  do,  something  that  Johnston  never  would 
have  done  at  all.  Pretending  to  follow 
Hood’s  army  until  he  was  satisfied  that  it 
had  really  started  for  Tennessee,  Sherman 
quickly  returned  to  Atlanta,  tearing  up  the 
railroads  as  he  advanced, — in  that  manner 
preventing  Hood  from  coming  back,  at  least 
with  any  speed.  General  Sherman  also  had 
sent  nearly  half  his  army  to  Tennessee,  un¬ 
der  the  command  of  General  Thomas — one 
of  the  ablest  of  the  Union  generals. 


CONCLUSION 


407 


Thomas  defeated  Hood’s  army  both  at 
Franklin  and  Nashville,  and  pursued  it  so 
vigorously  that  the  troops  were  scattered  in 
every  direction.  In  this  manner  one  of  the 
two  great  armies  of  the  Confederates  had 
been  put  out  of  the  conflict. 

General  Sherman  had  an  army  of  60,000 
men  when  he  returned  to  Atlanta,  and  be¬ 
tween  him  and  Virginia  there  was  not  an 
organized  Confederate  army  to  be  met.  In 
the  middle  of  November,  Sherman  burned 
Atlanta,  cut  all  the  telegraph  wires  to  the 
north,  and  then  began  his  famous  march  to 
the  sea.  His  real  aim,  after  he  should  have 
reached  the  coast,  was  to  turn  northward 
and  attack  the  rear  of  Lee’s  army  in  Vir¬ 
ginia,  while  Grant  was  attacking  it  in  front. 
Hood’s  mistake  or  incompetency  had  placed 
almost  the  entire  Confederacy  at  the  mercy 
of  Sherman. 

In  four  columns,  covering  a  strip  of  coun¬ 
try  about  sixty  miles  wide,  Sherman’s  army 
advanced.  Railways  were  destroyed,  bridges 
and  depots  burned,  and  the  army  lived  upon 
the  supplies  it  took  from  the  region  through 
which  it  was  moving. 


408  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


Fort  McAllister,  which  guarded  Savannah, 
was  stormed  in  a  wild  rush  of  fifteen  minntes, 
about  a  month  after  Sherman  set  forth  from 
Atlanta.  Outside  Savannah,  a  fleet  of  Union 
ships  was  blockading  the  town.  Sherman 
opened  communication  with  this  fleet  of 
blockaders,  Savannah  was  besieged  and  after 
eight  days,  was  taken.  There  Sherman  and 
his  men  remained  until  February  (1865). 
And  with  them  was  Taylor,  restored  fully  to 
health  now,  and  eager  in  his  defense  of  the 
Stars  and  Stripes. 

On  the  first  day  of  February  (1865)  Sher¬ 
man  moved  out  of  Savannah,  marching  di¬ 
rectly  north  to  Columbia,  South  Carolina. 
While  his  army  held  that  place,  the  city  was 
burned,  each  side  accusing  the  other  of  hav¬ 
ing  set  it  on  fire.  Again  Sherman  started 
northward,  following  almost  the  same  route 
which  the  British  general,  Cornwallis,  had 
taken  in  1781.  Thus  far  Sherman  had  met 
little  armed  opposition.  There  was  no  army 
to  face  him,  the  people  were  suffering  from 
lack  of  food,  and  the  Confederate  money  was 
now  of  so  little  value  that  a  dollar  was  worth 
only  two  cents.  Still  the  spirit  displayed  by 


CONCLUSION 


409 


the  people  of  the  Confederate  States  was 
marvelous.  Even  the  women  and  children, 
who  were  suffering  most  of  all,  were  still  de¬ 
termined  and  loyal  to  their  cause. 

When  Sherman’s  army  arrived  at  Fay¬ 
etteville,  their  troubles  were  increased,  for 
now  General  Johnston  had  been  recalled  and 
was  facing  them  with  an  army  of  40,000  men 
drawn  from  the  various  straggling  bodies, 
and  from  the  defenses  of  the  coast  cities. 
And  Sherman  well  knew  the  spirit  and  the 
ability  of  his  opponent  and  respected  both 
alike. 

At  Goldsboro,  Johnston  furiously  attacked 
the  army  under  Sherman  (March  19).  For 
a  time  the  issue  of  the  battle  was  in  doubt, 
but  at  last  Sherman  drove  Johnston  back 
and  entered  Goldsboro,  where  he  was  joined 
by  fresh  troops.  Both  armies  now  waited 
for  the  outcome  of  the  work  in  Virginia, 
where  it  was  Grant’s  purpose  to  compel  Lee 
to  lengthen  his  lines  and  so  weaken  his 
force. 

Sheridan,  with  10,000  picked  cavalry,  now 
scattered  the  Confederate  troops  in  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  (under  Early),  and  after 


410  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


the  railroads  and  bridges  between  Richmond 
and  Lynchburg  had  been  destroyed  and  by 
this  means  mncli  of  Lee’s  supplies  had  been 
cut  off,  he  joined  General  Grant. 

Soon  Sheridan  made  another  movement  to 
the  southwest  and  held  his  ground  at  Five 
Forks.  To  meet  this  new  danger,  Lee  again 
extended  his  lines,  which  now  were  so  long 
that  his  40,000  men  were  not  sufficient  to 
guard  them.  Grant  at  once  advanced  his 
army  of  100,000  and  broke  through  Lee’s  en¬ 
trenchments  (April  2).  In  the  night  Lee 
retreated  westward,  and  the  Union  troops 
entered  Richmond  and  Petersburg. 

General  Lee  was  retreating  between  the 
James  and  Appomattox  rivers,  striving  to 
reach  Lynchburgh  and  make  his  way  into 
North  Carolina  and  have  Johnston  join  him 
there.  But  Grant  was  in  hot  pursuit,  and  be¬ 
fore  Lee  could  reach  Lynchburg,  Sheridan 
passed  him,  and  with  his  troops  was  between 
the  Confederate  army  and  the  place  it  was 
seeking.  Lee’s  retreat  was  cut  off,  he  was 
caught  between  the  two  armies,  his  men  were 
almost  worn  out,  and  supplies  had  failed.  At 
Appomattox  Court-house  (April  9)  Lee  sur- 


CONCLUSION 


411 


rendered.  Grant  was  as  brave  and  generous 
as  his  enemy.  All  he  required  was  the  prom¬ 
ise  of  Lee  that  the  Confederate  troops  would 
no  longer  bear  arms  against  the  United 
States.  They  were  to  give  up  public  prop¬ 
erty,  but  every  man  was  to  keep  his  horse  to 
help  in  the  spring  ploughing. 

Sherman  at  once  pushed  forward  from 
Goldsboro  to  Raleigh,  where  Johnston  sur¬ 
rendered  (April  26).  Johnston’s  men,  like 
Lee’s,  were  dismissed  on  their  promise  not  to 
do  any  further  act  of  war.  Early  in  May, 
the  other  Confederate  forces  east  of  the  Mis¬ 
sissippi,  and  later  in  the  same  month  those 
west  of  the  same  river,  also  surrendered. 
The  war  was  ended.  The  Confederate  sol¬ 
diers  went  back  to  their  desolate  homes  as 
brave  to  begin  the  struggle  for  existence 
there  as  they  had  previously  been  on  the  field 
of  battle. 

The  armies  of  Grant  and  Sherman,  200,- 
000  strong,  proceeded  to  Washington,  where, 
near  the  end  of  May,  they  were  reviewed  by 
their  leaders  and  the  officers  of  the  govern¬ 
ment.  Two  entire  days  were  required  for 
the  lines  of  bronzed  and  brave  soldiers  to 


412  FOR  THE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


pass  through  the  streets.  The  music  of  the 
military  bands,  the  great  displays  of  flowers, 
the  cheers  and  shining  faces  of  the  people, 
who  had  assembled  from  every  part  of  the 
country,  were  not  the  least  interesting. 

The  armies  were  paid  and  sent  home  at 
the  rate  of  300,000  a  month  until  nearly  every 
soldier  had  departed,  though  nearly  300,000 
brave  men  on  either  side  in  the  awful  strug¬ 
gle  had  given  up  their  lives.  The  loss  of 
property  in  slaves,  the  purchase  of  war  ma¬ 
terial,  payment  of  soldiers,  losses  in  busi¬ 
ness,  pensions  granted,  and  all  the  various 
costs  of  such  a  terrible  war  mounted  up  to 
sums  beyond  our  comprehension.  The  sor¬ 
row  and  suffering,  the  dead  and  the  maimed, 
the  sickness  and  disease  that  followed  can¬ 
not  even  be  reckoned.  The  old  enmity  is 
gone  or  going,  and  the  best  we  can  cherish 
to-day  is  the  memory  of  the  many  brave 
men  who  fought  and  died  for  the  land  they 
loved. 

Among  the  first  to  return  to  their  homes 
was  Taylor — older,  more  bronzed,  wiser  than 
when,  two  years  before,  he  had  enlisted.  Of 
his  welcome  we  know  little  except  that  it  was 


CONCLUSION 


413 


tender  and  strong.  Erwin  had  not  recovered 
sufficiently  to  re-enter  the  army  and  he  was 
on  the  platform  of  the  little  village  station 
eagerly  awaiting  the  coming  of  his  friend, 
when  Taylor  stepped  down  from  the  train. 

Another  to  greet  Taylor  warmly  was  the 
huge  Richard,  who  had  previously  made  his 
way  to  the  little  village  and  was  living  in 
Erwin’s  home.  The  coming  of  the  black 
man  was  an  event  long  remembered,  for 
many  had  never  before  seen  a  negro.  Rich¬ 
ard’s  enthusiasm  and  interest  in  his  new  life 
long  continued  and  he  remained  in  the  home 
of  Erwin  until  his  death,  ten  years  after  the 
close  of  the  war. 

Of  Samuel — “ Uncle  Sam” — not  a  word 
came.  Whether  he  ever  escaped  from  the 
bushwhackers,  or  had  cast  in  his  lot  with  the 
Southern  people,  or  met  a  fate  which  could 
only  be  surmised,  no  one  ever  knew.  His 
worn  little  mother  professed  to  believe,  even 
to  the  day  of  her  death,  that  her  boy  would 
return,  but  her  hope  was  never  fulfilled,  and 
she  died  without  seeing  him. 

Not  many  weeks  after  the  close  of  the  war 
a  letter  from  South  Carolina  come  to  Tay- 


414  FOR  TEE  STARS  AND  STRIPES 


lor,  who  already  liad  written  several  which 
he  had  addressed  to  Miss  Sallie  Hitt.  The 
note  which  Taylor  received  was  brief,  but 
no  less  interesting  to  him,  at  least,  because 
of  that  fact. 

“If  you  could  see  the  desolation  in  my  old 
home  you  would  understand  why  I  have  no 
heart  for  writing.  My  father  and  brother 
both  were  shot — by  whom  I  think  you  know. 
We  are  so  poverty-stricken  that  we  scarcely 
know  where  our  next  meal  is  to  be  secured. 
Some  of  our  negroes  have  remained  with  us, 
but  they  are  almost  a  burden  because  we  do 
not  know  how  they  are  to  be  fed.  We  have  no 
one  to  help  us,  and  yet  neither  my  sisters  nor 
myself  have  any  thought  of  giving  up.  We 
shall  do  our  best  and  I  am  sure  we  shall  find 
some  way  out  of  our  difficulties.  My  heart 
is  full  of  bitterness  at  times  when  I  think  of 
our  home  as  it  was,  and  then  as  it  is  to-day. 
As  a  class — you  know  how  I  feel  toward  the 
Yankees.  Perhaps  you  understand.  Some¬ 
times  I  think  you  do,  better  than  some  of 
your  fellow  soldiers.  Of  course  there  are 
exceptions.  If  good  could  come  out  of  Naza¬ 
reth  it  may  be  that  a  good  man  may  still  be 
found  in  the  midst  of  bad  company.  I  do 
not  know  what  to  say  to  you  in  reply  to  your 
kind  offer  to  come  to  our  aid.  The  little  we 


CONCLUSION 


415 


did  for  you  was  done,  not  because  you  were 
a  Yankee  soldier,  but  because  of  your  sister 
and  mother.  You  can’t  be  altogether  bad — 
to  speak  of  them  as  you  did  to  me.  I  have 
not  forgotten  your  words.  All  I  can  say  is, 
that  we  can  and  we  will  live  on — somehow. 
We  are  not  asking  nor  are  we  receiving  aid. 
Of  course,  if  by  any  chance  you  should  ever 
happen  to  be  in  this  vicinity,  you  will  be  an 
exception  to  the  general  feeling  we  have. 
You  have  a  sister  and  mother,  and  for  their 
sake,  if  for  no  other,  you  will  be  welcome.  I 
cannot,  I  will  not  invite  you,  but  if  you  come 
I  will  try  to  be  generous  and  not  unmindful 
of  your  kind  words.  ’  ’ 

The  letter  bore  the  signature  of  Sallie  Hitt. 
The  following  day  Taylor  started  for  South 
Carolina. 


THE  END 


RARE  BOOK 
COLLECTION 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINA 
AT 

CHAPEL  HILL 


Wilmer 

1066 


' . :$$$  Igii# Mm  ■  •  •-•• 

■ 

:  ..•  . »*»••;: 

■  .  '-Til*.:.  '  •  ••.;  .-I-': '  “-s 


. 

•  -  *  .  . •  •»»*•  ■  •  •  ?  .  •  .  -  -LjrX.-  .  . .  M*. 


•••/•  •••  •••!' 
mash 


* 


{3:8&S 


*.  •  >  j. 

»»* 

.••  .‘tojHww  ;*;* 

V.  •’A;;-!-*:;: 


£» 


■ 


r  .u:i:.  •:■  .  •  ...  •  &r:r;- 

•  -  *  *  -  .  «•-  v  :  ;!\v  . 

;  ■  ■  ipSfeS 

. 

.  *!  •  •  ■  :  .  -•  ,?«•  »•«;«!», V 


